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ASU student runs for NC House
by Alison Fosbenner
Staff Writer
Brandon D. Derr, a junior computer information systems major, never imagined himself running for office.
Until this year, that is, when he stepped up as the Libertarian candidate for N.C. House district 93.
“It’s the only party that wants to restore our freedom - the constitutional limitation of the government,” Derr said.
He said the results of the election were expected.
Republican incumbent Gene Wilson took 51 percent of the votes, Democrat Cullie Tarleton had 45 percent and Derr took 3 percent.
“I did better in Watauga County than I did in Ashe County,” Derr said, explaining that many people in Ashe did not have a way of hearing about him.
Similarly, he suggests that for those students who did not know a fellow student was on the ballot or about Libertarianism in general, they should have done their homework.
Politics has not always been a main concern for Derr.
“I was an apathetic type person until I found where I belong,” Derr said and explained that Libertarian is America’s third largest party and they have more elected officials than all other third parties combined.
Derr, a husband and father of two, was born in Pennsylvania, moved to the Hickory area at a very young age and now resides in Boone.
He came to Appalachian State University for proximal reasons and the exceptional business school. He enjoys the attitude of fellow students most, saying that they are “friendly and open.”
Prior to this election, Derr managed two other campaigns and participated in a victorious Libertarian city council campaign last year in Lenoir.
With all of this political experience, Derr is a valuable asset for the soon to be university Libertarian Club.
Elijah G. Perry, a senior history and anthropology major, is the president of the club and explained that they are currently filling out paper work but should be up and running actively soon.
“Now that the election’s over, our big thing will be trying to recruit more people into the Libertarian movement, trying to spread the message,” Perry said. “Hopefully, trying to do something for other Libertarian candidates in the off-year elections.”
On a local level, the Libertarian Club would like to work toward another liquor by the drink referendum, to possibly help run someone for local office, to work closely with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and “loosen the blatantly unconstitutional free speech restrictions on campus,” Perry said.
He said it is important to have a Libertarian voice on campus because “neither of the two major parties represent what we believe.”
Perry strongly supports Derr.
“As a person, just from what I know of him, I think he would be an excellent and very effective representative,” Perry said. “He is extremely intelligent, he really knows his issues, he has all of his facts straight and from a strictly ideological point of view he is right down the wire, exactly what we are looking for.”
As far as the Libertarian Club goes, Perry said Derr is a great resource for the club. “He has more political experience than the rest of us,” Perry said.
“He brings a lot of practical experience to the club because most of our members and prospective members are younger ... many of them have never been exposed to these ideas before.”
This election experience, for Derr, has reinforced that it is important to have a thick skin, perseverance and that one must “do their homework.”
Now, with the election behind him, he is starting to make plans for the future. Post-graduation, Derr hopes to become a systems analyst.
“As far as politics, I might consider running for a lower level office, but I will also be open for the state seat again,” Derr said.
For more information about libertarianism, check out www.lp.org.
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