The Libertarian Party of New York mourns the passing of Edward Emerson “Ed” Clark, the LPNY founding chair and a trailblazer for the modern liberty movement. Clark, who passed away on June 19, 2025, at the age of 95, leaves behind a legacy as one of the most influential early figures in the party’s history.
Clark’s journey with the Libertarian movement began in 1971, when he left the Republican Party in response to President Richard Nixon’s wage and price controls, a moment that galvanized many who would go on to shape the Libertarian Party. When the New York Free Libertarian Party was organized in 1972, Clark was the first State Chair, helping lay the groundwork for what would become one of the party’s most enduring affiliates.
After his time in New York, Clark moved west, where he continued to shape the Libertarian Party on a national scale. He was elected Vice-Chair of the Libertarian National Committee in 1972 and later served as State Chair of the Libertarian Party of California. In 1978, he made headlines running for Governor of California, earning 377,960 votes—5.46% of the vote—a record for a Libertarian gubernatorial candidate that still stands. Two years later, Clark carried the party’s banner as its 1980 presidential nominee alongside running mate David Koch, earning over 920,000 votes nationwide and cementing the Libertarian Party’s status as a credible national force.
Beyond his campaigns, Clark will be remembered for his calm, professional demeanor and his ability to communicate libertarian principles to new audiences, often describing libertarianism as “low-tax liberalism” to reach voters across the spectrum. His 1980 campaign sparked the creation of Students for Clark groups nationwide, inspired countless activists, and brought libertarian ideas—tax reduction, deregulation, civil liberties, and nonintervention abroad—into the national conversation.
Ed Clark’s pioneering efforts as the founding Chair of the Libertarian Party of New York and his groundbreaking national campaign helped shape the trajectory of the party. We honor his contributions and his role in giving our party, in New York and across the country, a strong foundation to build upon.
