Colt Shelby of Cecil will be the Libertarian Party of Arkansas’ candidate for governor in November while Jeff Wadlin of Bentonville will be the party’s U.S. Senate nominee.
Dr. Michael Pakko of Roland, the party’s chairman, will be its secretary of state nominee. Pakko won 4.31% of the vote in the state treasurer’s race in 2026, collecting 49,847 votes.
The governor’s race is especially important for the party because a 3% showing in November would enable it to automatically qualify for the ballot in 2028. Otherwise, the party will have to collect 10,000 qualified signatures, as it did this election cycle.
This is the eight consecutive election cycle the party has qualified for the ballot through the signature collection process, the party said in a news release.
Shelby was chosen at the convention on Saturday, Feb. 21, in a contested race that featured three other announced candidates. He defeated the second place finisher, Micheal Kalagias of Rogers, by two votes. Kalagias is the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor.
Libertarians favor greatly reduced government involvement in all aspects of American life. Although party members’ views can vary, a typical Libertarian might oppose many or almost all government programs while also favoring marijuana legalization and limiting American overseas military involvements.
Other Libertarian candidates chosen this past weekend include:
- U.S. Congress District 1 – Steve G. Parsons, Lakeview
- U.S. Congress District 3 – Bobby Wilson, Bentonville
- Commissioner of Lands – Christopher Olson, Viola
- Pope County Judge – Greg Maxwell, Dover
- Izard County Judge – Justice of the Peace Mark Simino, Calico Rock
- Izard County Clerk – Debra Brown, Oxford
- State House District 48 – Hunter Jackson, Van Buren
- State House District 61 – Garrett Sheeks, Stuttgart
- State House District 58 – Jocelyn Fry, Searcy
- State House District 80 – Daniel Stuckey, Little Rock
- Saline County JP District 8 – Jacob Stone, Benton
- Benton County JP District 11 – Cody Martin, Gentry
- Benton County JP District 15 – Brian Leach, Centerton
- Pulaski County Big Rock Township – Constable Frank Gilbert, Little Rock
- Pine Bluff City Council Ward 1 – John Fenley, Pine Bluff
By Steve Brawner, © 2026 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.