Survivor star to help the LP off the island next November

I’m going to admit, I don’t know much about Rupert Boneham.

I know he’s a former “Survivor” contestant who became the highest-ever receiver of votes in reality television history when 34 million people voted for him to win $1 million.

I know he subsequently used part of his reality television winnings to set up Rupert’s Kids, a nonprofit based in Indianapolis that seeks to help at-risk children.

I know he’s a businessman. He owns several small businesses, one of which helps clients, such as ESPN, NBC and Sunday Night Football, transport and set up gear for football games.

I know he’s known for tie-dye shirts, an un-kept beard and a big heart, and I know that Kokomo, Ind., claims him as its most famous former resident.

What I don’t know much about, however, is the man’s politics.

Boneham is seeking the nomination for governor of Indiana with the Libertarian ticket, and, as a libertarian myself, I don’t care that I know little about his political positions aside from the fact that he obviously fashions himself a libertarian.  That’s because, like him or not, the Libertarian Party needs Boneham.

Since its inception in December 1971, the Libertarian Party has struggled to find a place for itself within the contemporary political discussion. While much of the blame lies with the corruption of the two-party system, some of it inevitably falls on those who run the party itself.

Additionally, I have nothing against engineers. As a matter of fact, I think engineers are the most important professionals in America, and our country would be better served if we had more of them. However, engineers tend not to be the world’s best marketers, and the Libertarian Party leadership has always been chock-full of them.

By bringing on board a candidate such as Boneham, the party is making an uncharacteristically brilliant marketing decision.

High-profile candidates can do much to improve the recognition of the Libertarian Party and the libertarian ideology, where other traditional tactics have failed. The problem with this type of tactic, however, is that it is hard to convince people to run as Libertarians.

Most self-identified libertarians who run for public office tend to do so as Republicans.
Running as a Republican is the more legitimate course to take, as it allows the prospective candidate to avoid the institutional barriers against third-party nominees, but, naturally, it has the effect of hurting the Libertarian Party itself.

Similar efforts to draft libertarian or libertarian-leaning celebrities to run for public office in the past have failed. Drew Carey is perhaps the most well-known libertarian celebrity, and a Carey run would undoubtedly be a great boost to the party. However, several petitions to draft Carey to run for public office in the past have failed, and most libertarians are not holding their breath for future runs.

Boneham’s run is perhaps the greatest opportunity the party has had in a while. He is a popular celebrity who has a great personality, proven business experience and an impressive philanthropic past.

Unlike in many other states, the Libertarian Party in Indiana already has ballot access, so the party can direct the majority of its resources toward getting Boneham elected.

It will be interesting to see how the party works Boneham’s celebrity and whether it has any effect on the percentage of votes the party receives in the elections next November.

If his candidacy has no significant effect on the ballot box, it might be time to come up with a different idea, because the status quo has not and will not suffice to grow the party.

­— nperrino@indiana.edu