Want less spending, more guns and no war? Forget Paxton. Vote Libertarian!

The Houston Chronicle has an op-ed from Ted Brown, the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate running against Ken Paxton and James Talarico in Texas. He's putting himself forward as a real option for conservatives who can't bring themselves to support Paxton's corruption and big-government spending plans but will never vote for a Democrat. He also argues that a big turnout for Libertarians in this race will scare Republicans into returning to their small-government roots. Here's a key quote:

A lot of Texas Republicans know that Paxton has been indicted, impeached and accused of various forms of official misconduct. They know taxpayers are on the hook for his $6.6 million whistleblower settlement. Corrupt politicians may be nothing new, but usually it takes a while for a senator to give in to the swamp. If Paxton wins, he would enter the Senate already corrupt. Who knows what other trouble he’s ready to get into on day one?

A few Republicans seem willing to cast their ballots for Talarico as a protest vote. I imagine many more are tempted but understandably can’t bring themselves to vote for a lifelong Democrat who regularly defies conservative values around fiscal responsibility and protecting the right to bear arms.

That’s why I’m here. Not only do I want to cut spending and taxes, but I’m also a strong pro-gun advocate for the Second Amendment. 

Meanwhile, Paxton is running on a platform of big government giveaways, like free money for home down payments. Republicans used to campaign as a small-government party that wanted balanced budgets. They haven’t delivered, and there’s no reason to think someone like Paxton will do anything to tackle our gargantuan federal deficits and the unsustainable $40 trillion national debt. For those Republicans who truly believe in less government, voting Libertarian is the logical choice.