Libertarian Chase Oliver, 39, came home to Atlanta Pride this weekend, but this time as a presidential candidate.
Atlanta streets were filled with bright, vibrant colors, and smiling faces while everyone was getting ready to walk the annual parade route.
Before the parade started, Oliver said he was feeling great to be involved and back home in Atlanta.
“The weather’s beautiful and we’re having a great turnout of libertarians who had voted in from out of state to come support this campaign, even so having people driving hundreds of miles to come and be with us today,” he said. “I just love Atlanta Pride every year.”
Oliver said he first discovered the Libertarian Party at Atlanta Pride in 2010, when John Monds, who was running for Governor, talked to Oliver who at the time was a politically displaced pacifist who was frustrated that neither Republicans or Democrats fought for peace.
He’s been home in the party ever since, running for Congress in 2020, then U.S. Senate in 2022, debating incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker’s empty podium. Oliver was widely credited with causing the runoff election between Warnock and Walker.
When Oliver ran for Senate in 2022, he said they got a ton of attention when they forced the runoff in the race and libertarians across the country asked if he ever thought about running for president.
“I thought they were crazy at first, but we explored the idea and we got the support we needed. The reason why I’m doing this is because I want to make sure there’s a better future for not just myself, but for my nephews and nieces,” he said.
Additionally, Oliver became the first openly LGBTQ candidate to be nominated by a political party and it’s a full circle moment.
“I’m excited to be the first candidate for president to ever march in the Atlanta Pride Parade,” he said. “I think it is important that we recognize the LGBTQ community and our inherent right to live as free individuals. As the first LGBTQ candidate for president across the nation, I’m proud to represent Atlanta and our community on the national stage.”
If elected, Oliver says he would get our economy under control by “balancing our federal budget”.
“I would address the immigration crisis we see at our southern border by implementing the 21st century Ellis Island. I would also defend each person’s individual liberty to live as they see fit, so long as you’re not harming another person,” he said. “If you’re living your life in peace, your life’s your life, your body’s your body, and your business is your business, it’s not mine and it’s not the government’s.”
Also, Oliver says there’s a couple of things that make him the best candidate for the next POTUS including being the first millennial candidate to run for president.
“I have a generational perspective and I’m an average working person. I’ve worked 40 hours a week. I see the pinch of inflation because I’m the one who does the grocery shopping in my family,” he said. For me, I’m seeing the effects of our economy in real-time, and we need to have somebody with that perspective in the White House.”
As far as the upcoming election, Oliver says it’s the most important election of our lifetime. He also says this election could be a real-time history-making moment and he’s glad to be a part of it.
“Every election cycle it’s important, but I think this has been the most unique election cycle of our lifetime,” he said. “We’ve seen candidates stepping down, we’ve seen all sorts of awful things happening in terms of violence.
Furthermore, Oliver urges voters to check out his platform and to vote as early as possible.
“Do a blind taste test, so to speak with myself and the other candidates and see who you think is going to be the best voice for you,” he said. “I encourage you to get out and vote, and also, let’s change the way we vote to things like ranked choice voting, so we have more options on the ballot, more choices, and more voices.”
