27 Facts About Michael Badnarik

Michael James Badnarik was an American software engineer, political figure, and radio talk show host.

Michael Badnarik was the Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2004 elections, and placed fourth in the race, behind independent candidate Ralph Nader and the two major party candidates, George W Bush and John Kerry.

Two years later Badnarik ran as a Libertarian Party candidate in the 2006 congressional elections for Texas's 10th congressional district seat near Austin.

In economics, Michael Badnarik supported laissez-faire capitalism, a system in which the only function of the government is the protection of individual rights from the initiation of force and fraud.

Michael Badnarik first ran for public office in 2000 as a Libertarian, earning 15,221 votes in a race for the Texas legislature district 47.

Michael Badnarik was a member of the libertarian Free State Project.

In February 2003, Michael Badnarik announced his candidacy for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination and spent the following 18 months traveling the country, teaching a course on the United States Constitution to dozens of libertarian groups.

Michael Badnarik was viewed as unlikely to win the Libertarian presidential nomination, facing challenges from talk-show host Gary Nolan and Hollywood producer Aaron Russo.

At the 2004 Libertarian National Convention, Michael Badnarik gained substantial support following the candidates' debate.

Some members of the party disapproved of Michael Badnarik becoming the presidential nominee, feeling that he would be unable to draw media attention that many had felt Russo would have.

Michael Badnarik was not the only member of his family running in the 2004 cycle.

Michael Badnarik received 397,265 votes nationwide in the November 2,2004, election, taking 0.3 percent of the popular vote and placing fourth, 68,385 votes behind Ralph Nader but 12,834 votes better than the party's 2000 election results.

Michael Badnarik spent most of early 2005 touring the nation and giving speeches.

Michael Badnarik taught a class on the US Constitution, using his experiences on the campaign trail to develop his lesson plan.

Michael Badnarik ran for the 10th Congressional District of Texas, which is currently represented by Republican Michael McCaul.

Michael Badnarik raised nearly $450,000 for his campaign and received the Libertarian Party of Texas nomination for its 10th district Congressional candidate.

Michael Badnarik delivered a keynote speech at the 2007 New Hampshire Liberty Forum, where he announced his endorsement for Ron Paul, US Congressman from Texas 14th district, in the 2008 presidential election.

In November 2009, Michael Badnarik was elected as one of three delegates from the State of Texas to attend the 2009 Continental Congress sponsored by the We The People Foundation, and subsequently elected parliamentary president of that body.

Michael Badnarik suffered a heart attack on the morning of December 21,2009, while in Viroqua, Wisconsin attending a hearing regarding a raw milk case.

Michael Badnarik was taken by helicopter to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital CCU in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

On January 10,2010, Michael Badnarik posted a message to his friends and supporters stating that he was improving rapidly and would soon be released from the hospital.

Michael Badnarik believes that the federal government had exceeded its Constitutional bounds and should be scaled back in favor of a laissez-faire society.

Michael Badnarik did not believe that the US Constitution provided for a federal income tax, and posed the tax protester argument that the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was never legally ratified.

Michael Badnarik argues that the Sixteenth Amendment was not properly ratified, citing the two-volume work The Law that Never Was, co-authored by William J Benson.

Michael Badnarik further added that he had contacted the IRS to find out his tax liability and to settle up on any taxes he owed.

When Michael Badnarik moved to Texas, he did not obtain a driver's license, due to that state's requirement that an applicant provide a Social Security Number and fingerprint.

Michael Badnarik died from heart failure at his home in San Antonio, Texas, on August 11,2022, aged 68.