Meet the Most Interesting Characters From the Libertarian Convention
The rapping 2016 hopeful doctor, a stripping candidate and Vermin Supreme.
-- It's not just Republicans and Democrats gearing up for the 2016 election -- Libertarians from across the country huddled here in Orlando this weekend to choose their presidential nominee.
They're the voters who don't fit into the customary two-party divide: As social liberals and fiscal conservatives, they're pushing their own movement to create a viable third party.One delegate from Texas wore bunny ears throughout the convention, arguing, “these things need a little levity.” Another wore a red clown nose.
But that's not all: Here are the characters you don't want to miss from the convention.
Gary Johnson and Bill Weld
Libertarians say they now have their most viable general election ticket in their party's history: the two former GOP two-term governors will likely be on the ballot in all 50 states this year.
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld say that Americans' dissatisfaction with major party nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump means they have a chance to compete this year.
A recent Fox News poll places Johnson at roughly 10 percent support. But polls tend to overestimate third-party support: Johnson got 1 percent of the popular vote in 2012.
The Rapping Doctor Presidential Candidate
Libertarian presidential candidate Marc Allen Feldman won over the crowd with his witty one-liners and closing statement rap.
When asked in the debate whether he supports gender-divided bathrooms, the doctor quipped that he backs one for people who wash their hands and one for those who don't. He also compared the joint-security organization NATO to Facebook, saying it lets you know what your friends are doing, but it's a waste of time.
He fell short in the presidential race, but his medical skills came in handy: delegates applauded him after he helped a pedestrian who got hit by a car outside the convention center.
Freedom From Clothes?
One Libertarian candidate for party chair took his idea of liberty to another level.
The delegate stripped down to his underwear on stage, immediately dropping out of the race and telling delegates he was dared to do strip down.
Most of the delegates booed the man, complaining that the party needed to be taken seriously during the election season. One delegate moved to kick the stripper out of the party, but it was ruled out of order.
The Delegate Called 'StarChild'
A delegate from California who goes by the name of StarChild wore a see-through raincoat with only a Speedo underneath it to “demand transparency.”
StarChild, a sex worker, describes the Libertarian party as “trans-partisan.”
“I think we tend to appeal both equally to right and left,” he told ABC News.
"We need to get away from this two-party cartel,” he added.
StarChild wore different outfits every day of the convention.
The Anti-Virus Software Founder
John McAfee was one of Johnson’s most serious competitors for the presidential nomination.
Founder of the computer software of the same name, he fled Belize a few years ago after he was listed as a person of interest in the murder of his neighbor.
In a bid to convince delegates to vote for him, McAfee threw an eccentric party while the convention was still ongoing, complete with neon lights, women on stilts, and acrobats.
Vermin Supreme Makes an Appearance
New Hampshire’s Vermin Supreme also stopped by the convention to seek the Libertarian nomination. Supreme, who ran for president in his home state both this year and in 2012, is known for wearing a boot on his head.
His platform? Mandatory tooth-brushing laws, free ponies for all Americans, time-travel, and preparing for the zombie apocalypse. He received one vote.
Supreme, however, made it a point to tell ABC News he was not representative of the party, “and I think the party would appreciate me saying that.”