Meet Maryland's Libertarian nominee for governor David Lashar
Third-party candidate running for Maryland governor
With a little more than a month until voters choose Maryland's next governor, much of the attention has been focused on the two major candidates -- Wes Moore for the Democrats and Dan Cox for the Republicans. But there's still another candidate looking for votes. FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald caught up with Libertarian candidate David Lashar in Takoma Park.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - With a little more than a month until voters choose Maryland's next governor, much of the attention has been focused on the two major candidates — Wes Moore for the Democrats and Dan Cox for the Republicans.
But there’s still another candidate looking for votes. His name is David Lashar and while you might not know who he is – the 2022 Libertarian nominee for Maryland governor says he’s hoping to change that.
READ MORE: Wes Moore declines FOX 5 debate with Dan Cox
Lasher used to be Republican, and a Department of Health official in Governor Larry Hogan's administration. But he quit the GOP to protest the rise of Donald Trump.
Lasher ran for congress as a Libertarian in 2018 and lost, but in 2022 he says so many voters are turned off by politics, he’s positioning himself as an alternative to Cox and Moore.
"The appalling divisiveness that we had in politics between the two big parties had been badly mishandled, and I just wanted to step forward and be an alternative for my fellow citizens here in Maryland that were looking for an alternative," Lasher said.
David Lashar
As for his two major opponents, Lasher said he's not sure he can win, but hopes to at least get more votes than Trump-endorsed Republican Cox. Lasher believes Moore is too close to Maryland’s Democratic establishment to be a real agent of change.
Maryland Governor's Race: Moore leads Cox by more than 30 points
Voters FOX 5 spoke with said they have differing opinions about voting for third-party candidates.
Lashar has his work cut out for him if he hopes to make a dent in the Maryland governor’s race. In a recent poll, conducted by Goucher College and the Baltimore Banner, the Libertarian attracted just 4% of likely voters.