Now that LP National has disaffiliated New Hampshire’s long-standing Libertarian Party, the state’s libertarian movement has fractured into two competing factions — each claiming to be the true heir to the “Live Free or Die” tradition, the NH motto attributed to General John Stark. What began as an internal dispute over messaging and bylaws has escalated into a full‑blown political civil war, with national implications for the Libertarian Party. This article seeks to give an overview of this situation and a comparison of the two groups currently competing for affiliation status with the National Libertarian Party. One group is headed by Blackfyre, the other by Strong, and together they now play A Game of Bylaws.
The Old State Order: LPNH – Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (1.0)
To understand how New Hampshire reached this point, we need to look at the original LPNH — the organization whose collapse set the stage for today’s conflict.
- Internet Presence
- Backstory:
Founded in the 1970s, LPNH lost ballot access in 2018 after failing to reach the 4% threshold in the gubernatorial race. The party struggled to regain footing, even receiving reduced petition requirements during COVID‑19 emergency orders.
By the early 2020s, the LP Mises Caucus — a more conservative, paleolibertarian faction aligned with Ron Paul — took control of LPNH. This mirrored the broader right‑leaning shift within the national Libertarian Party following the Mises Caucus’s 2022 victory. Under Mises leadership, the national LP removed planks supporting abortion rights and condemning bigotry, and invited Donald Trump to speak at the 2024 national convention. At the LNC convention, Trump promised to free Ross Ulbricht and turn the US into the Bitcoin capital of the world, thereby earning many libertarian votes for the 2024 election he went on to win.
LPNH moved even further rightward than the national party, becoming a vanguard of edgy, confrontational messaging aimed at shifting the Overton Window. Posts on X included statements such as “January 6th didn’t go far enough,” a variation of the “Fourteen Words” with “libertarian” substituted for “white,” and (now deleted) commentary on MLK Jr. Day suggesting black Americans “owe the US” due to federal racial policies giving them preferential treatment. The party openly stated its intent to alienate leftists and drive them out of New Hampshire — a strategy that arguably helped sow the seeds of a left‑libertarian counter‑movement.
- Leadership
- Chair – Jeremy Kauffman https://x.com/jeremykauffman
- Vice Chair – Josh Elbahrawy https://x.com/GraniteGospel
- Secretary – Daniel Koenig https://x.com/senno_says
- Treasurer – Brandon Stevens
- At-Large – Nate Dwyer
- At-Large – Bill Barger https://x.com/billisajoke
- Characteristics
- Right-leaning
- More focused on social media messaging than running LP candidates
- Edgy X posts explicitly intended to chase leftists out of NH
- Accused of endorsing Trump
- Kauffman denies that the 2026 LPNH leadership endorsed Trump in the LP Judicial Committee hearing on August 11, 2026
- LPNH ExCom members who voted to endorse Trump in 2024 were voted out & didn’t regain leadership roles in the organization
- Trump endorsers were replaced by a new team of board members who didn’t support the endorsement of Trump in 2024
- 2026 was when Kauffman became LPNH chair for the 1st time
- Trump endorsers were replaced by a new team of board members who didn’t support the endorsement of Trump in 2024
- Status
- LPNH was disaffiliated by the Libertarian National Committee on May 25, 2026. The party appealed on July 2, 2026, but the LP Judicial Committee unanimously upheld the disaffiliation on August 17, 2026.
- The LPNH has vowed to take the Libertarian National Committee to court and has crowd funded thousands of dollars for legal fees to dispute its “illegitimate disaffiliation,” still hoping to regain its affiliate status.
The New Contenders
With the old LPNH disaffiliated, two rival groups have emerged, each claiming to be the rightful successor. Only one can be the official LP National affiliate.
1.) The Granite State Libertarian Party (aka Granite State Libertarians)
The GSLP formally adopted bylaws and elected leadership on August 30, 2026, though an account claiming to be affiliated with the GSLP had publicly pledged to replace LPNH months earlier, in March 2026.
- Internet Presence
- ***Update*** Justin O’Donnell claims that the real GSLP has no idea who runs the Granite State Libertarians X account and that their real X account is the Granite State Liberty Party.
- Leadership
- Chair – Rachel “Blackfyre” Danner (https://x.com/libertarianneko no longer active)
- Unanimously elected
- Previously tried to work within former LPNH to change its course
- Ran for chair & was defeated by Kauffman
- Vice Chair – Conrad Nelson
- Former LPNH chair
- Treasurer – Stephen Villee
- Candidate for NH governor, as featured on prior Shire Free Media article
- Secretary – Rich Tomasso
- Promoted by LP Classical Liberal Caucus
- Membership Director – Angela Ryan
- Key Figures & Allies:
- Justin O’Donnell https://x.com/ODonnell4NH
- Liberty Activist
- Rachel Danner’s boyfriend
- Arthur Ketchen
- Founding chair of OG LPNH
- Has expressed criticism of Kauffman and direction of OG LPNH
- Said at initial GSLP meeting that they have an opportunity “to set this all right again”
- Richard Manzo https://x.com/RichardManzoNH/
- Former interim chair of LPNH
- Chaired initial meeting where first executive committee was elected
- Caleb Dyer https://x.com/cqdyer
- Former NH state representative
- Justin O’Donnell https://x.com/ODonnell4NH
- Chair – Rachel “Blackfyre” Danner (https://x.com/libertarianneko no longer active)
- Differentiating Characteristics
- Left-leaning
- Hostile to disaffiliated LPNH
- Anti-Bigotry Plank
- GSLP “reject[s] bigotry as irrational and repugnant to the values of liberty and individualism”
- Increased Gatekeeping
- Intended to prevent another takeover from outsiders (such as happened with the Mises Caucus)
- Wants its members to prove their dedication to the Libertarian Party before they have any control over its direction
- Requires new members to spend at least a year as “Pledge Members” before gaining “Activist” status within GSLP
- Must maintain “Activist” status for an additional year before becoming eligible for “Sustaining” status
- “Sustaining” status required for full convention voting rights
- Intended to prevent another takeover from outsiders (such as happened with the Mises Caucus)
- Focus on candidate development over social media engagement
- Has expressed intent to focus more on running LP candidates than generating social media attention
2.) The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (2.0)
The second contender is a newly formed organization led by Matthew Strong and Dennis Pratt, which submitted its affiliation application to the national LP on August 20, 2026.
- Leadership
- Chair – Matthew Strong https://x.com/matthewlstrong
- Previously served within LP Vermont leadership positions
- Vice Chair – Dennis Pratt https://x.com/DennisPrattFree
- Organized Porcfest in its final (and largest) years
- Secretary – Sean Dempsey https://x.com/realseand
- Prior LPNH executive committee service
- Treasurer – Brent Tweed https://x.com/BrentTweedNH
- Citizens Alliance of NH state director
- Previously affiliated with Maine Republican Party
- Board Members
- Rachel Goldsmith https://x.com/RachelBTCsmith
- Wife of Jeremy Kauffman
- Involved with Moms for Liberty https://x.com/Moms4LibertyNH
- Dylan Iacoboni
- Ryan Bloodworth https://x.com/inequalityenjoy
- Prior LPNH interim chair
- Identity confirmation https://x.com/inequalityenjoy/status/1870197340348268925?s=20
- Masha Bloodworth
- Wife of Ryan Bloodworth
- Reinita Sussman
- Stephen Nass https://x.com/FoodFreedomNH
- Multiple Projects:
- The Shell community https://shellnh.org
- Free State Food Network https://freestatefood.net/
- NH Spotlight marketing https://nhspotlight.com
- Ran for LP National vice-chair in 2026, was defeated
- Multiple Projects:
- Rick German
- Lori Bermain
- Patrick Binder https://x.com/patrick4nh
- 2026 NH State Senate Candidate
- As featured in previous article by Shire Free Media
- Elected as former LPNH treasurer in 2025
- 2026 NH State Senate Candidate
- Rachel Goldsmith https://x.com/RachelBTCsmith
- Differentiating Characteristics
- Right-leaning
- Tangential overlap with former LPNH (family ties & ideological continuity)
- No direct overlap in executive committee members between the disaffiliated and new LPNH organizations, but there are family ties & previous involvement with LPNH as it leaned rightward
- No Gatekeeping
- No membership tiers
- Full convention participation rights once a member
- Active members eligible for leadership roles
- Direct path to membership if following requirements met:
- NH resident or intent to move to NH
- Signed non-aggression pledge
- Paid dues
- Not belonging to other political parties
- Shows a greater emphasis on membership growth over purity tests & quality control
- No membership tiers
- Supports freedom of association & disassociation, even if racially based
- No statement condemning racism & bigotry as being irrational or anti-libertarian
- Implied through ideological & tangential personnel overlap with prior LPNH chaired by Kauffman
- Kauffman (Rachel Goldsmith’s husband) has argued that “segregation is good”
Why This Civil War Matters
New Hampshire’s libertarians wield outsized influence due to the Free State Project and the state’s unique political culture. Internal fractures affect ballot access, candidate recruitment, messaging, and the future of libertarian politics in the region.
Only one faction can become the official LP affiliate. Whether the national party recognizes the GSLP, the Strong‑Pratt LPNH, or neither, the libertarian movement in New Hampshire is entering a period of intense competition. In the end, these factions aren’t just fighting over bylaws — they’re fighting over identity, ideology, and the future of liberty in the Granite State. One affiliate choice will result in a two-year freeze on New Hampshire Libertarian leadership, while the other will import a board with family and faction continuity to the entity just expelled. Ideology aside, those are different bets about whether New Hampshire’s problem was personnel or rules.
Whether this civil war produces a stronger movement or a lasting fracture remains to be seen. For voters seeking an alternative to the GOP and Democrats, the next year will reveal which faction can build a credible political organization — and which will fade into the long history of libertarian schisms.
Charts (ain’t nobody got time to read!)
Timeline Overview
Leadership & Structure
| Category | Granite State Libertarian Party (GSLP) | Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (2.0) |
| Chair | Rachel “Blackfyre” Danner | Matthew Strong |
| Vice Chair | Conrad Nelson | Dennis Pratt |
| Secretary | Rich Tomasso | Sean Dempsey |
| Treasurer | Stephen Villee | Brent Tweed |
| Additional Leadership | Membership Director: Angela Ryan | Board Members: Goldsmith, Iacoboni, Bloodworth, M. Bloodworth, Sussman, Nass, German, Bermain, Binder |
| Founding Context | Formed after internal reform attempts failed within LPNH | Formed immediately after LPNH disaffiliation; submitted affiliation application Aug. 20, 2026 |
| Internet Presence | x.com/GSLibertarian, graniteliberty.com | No unified site as of publication date; leaders active on X |
Ideology & Messaging
| Category | GSLP | LPNH (2.0) |
| General Ideology | Left‑leaning libertarian | Right‑leaning libertarian |
| View of Disaffiliated LPNH | Strongly hostile; sees LPNH 1.0 as toxic | Ideologically adjacent; shares some personnel ties |
| Anti‑Bigotry Plank | Explicitly rejects bigotry as “irrational and repugnant” | No anti‑bigotry plank; supports freedom of association even if racially based |
| Social Media Strategy | Focus on candidates, not edgy posts | Mixed; less edgy than LPNH 1.0 but ideologically similar |
| Gatekeeping Philosophy | Strong gatekeeping to prevent hostile takeovers | No gatekeeping; open membership |
| Cultural Alignment | Classical liberal, reformist, anti‑Mises | Free State‑aligned, Mises‑adjacent |
Membership Rules
| Category | GSLP | LPNH (2.0) |
| Membership Tiers | Yes — Pledge → Activist → Sustaining | None |
| Voting Rights | Only “Sustaining” members (after ~2 years) | Immediate voting rights upon joining |
| Requirements | Time‑based progression; commitment to anti‑bigotry plank | NH residency/intent, dues, non‑aggression pledge, no other party membership |
| Purpose of Structure | Prevent future takeovers like the Mises Caucus | Encourage rapid growth and participation |
Key Figures & Allies
| Category | GSLP | LPNH (2.0) |
| Notable Allies | Justin O’Donnell, Arthur Ketchen, Richard Manzo, Caleb Dyer | Rachel Goldsmith, Ryan & Masha Bloodworth, Stephen Nass, Patrick Binder |
| Historical Ties | Reformist wing of old LPNH | Many members previously involved with LPNH 1.0 |
| Factional Roots | Reaction to Mises takeover | Continuation of right‑leaning libertarian activism |
Strategic Priorities
| Category | GSLP | LPNH (2.0) |
| Primary Focus | Candidate development, party professionalism | Rapid rebuilding, ideological continuity |
| Approach to LP National | Seeks recognition as a clean break from LPNH 1.0 | Seeks recognition as the legitimate successor organization |
| Long‑Term Vision | Rebuild LP NH with safeguards against extremism | Restore LPNH brand with open membership and Free State energy |
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