Michael J. Badnarik, an American software engineer, political figure, and former radio talk show host has died. His death was reported on August 11, 2022.
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In politics, he was the Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2004 elections.
He placed fourth in the race, behind independent candidate Ralph Nader and the two major party candidates, George W. Bush and John Kerry.
A cause of death was not given. However, Badnarik suffered a heart attack on the morning of December 21, 2009, while in Viroqua, Wisconsin attending a hearing regarding a raw milk case.
After the hearing, he boarded a car to go to lunch with friends, then slumped over. His friends attempted CPR and contacted the paramedics.
They attempted CPR to revive him three times with no success. Upon the fourth attempt his heart was revived yet with erratic behavior and was taken by helicopter to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital CCU in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Badnarik passed away 13 years after the heart attack scare.
In 2006, Badnarik ran as a Libertarian Party candidate in the congressional elections for Texas’s 10th congressional district seat near Austin.
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Again, he was unable to emerge victorious. He came in third in a three candidate field, receiving 7,603 votes for 4.3% of the vote.
Badnarik’s political philosophy emphasized individual liberty, personal responsibility, and strict adherence to an originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and all of his positions arose from this foundation.
In economics, Badnarik believed in 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.
He, therefore, opposed institutions such as welfare and business regulation.
Badnarik first ran for public office in 2000 as a Libertarian, earning 15,221 votes (17%) in a race for the Texas legislature district 47.
In 2002 he ran for the district 48 seat receiving 1,084 votes, or 2%.
Condolences to the friends and family of Michael Badnarik, the 2004 @LPNational presidential nominee. Via @scotthortonshow @LibertarianInsthttps://t.co/DqndGsssiq
— Nick Gillespie (@nickgillespie) August 11, 2022
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