Natalie Bruno tops the ballot for Oklahoma Libertarians, who see a chance for growth

Natalie Bruno waited for her order at an Oklahoma City coffee shop when the barista, attempting to make small talk, asked her name and what she did.

“I’m a politician and I’m running for governor,” she said, eliciting wide eyes from the worker behind the espresso machine.

Unlike Gov. Kevin Stitt or Superintendent Joy Hofmeister, Bruno isn’t a household name.

But her name will appear on the November gubernatorial ballot as the Libertarian candidate, and while polls show her significantly behind the incumbent and his top challenger, Bruno appears poised to capture a solid chunk of voters that Libertarians hope signifies a growing base of support across the state.

“It’s a fight to try and get the same media attention as Stitt and Hofmeister. I’ve had reporters just walk away from me when I tell them who I am,” Bruno said. “But I think a lot of (voters) are looking for another option.”

More:Poll shows 1-point lead for Stitt over Hofmeister in governor's race

A June poll showed Bruno with 2% support, while an August poll showed her with 6% support among likely voters.

Getting at least 2.5% of the vote is needed for Libertarians to retain ballot access for the next election cycle, but her party is confident Bruno will finish significantly better.

"I think the growth we have is because of national politics and a continuing dissatisfaction with the two parties," said Chris Powell, the Libertarian candidate for governor in 2018 who received 3.4% of the statewide vote.

"Hofmeister has been a Republican up until she wanted to run against Kevin Stitt, and Stitt has shown he has a very authoritarian style of running his administration. Both have negatives and the more negatives they have, the more people are going to look for another option."

Fewer than 18,000 Oklahomans are registered to vote as a Libertarian, just a fraction of the state's 700,000 Democrats and 1.2 million Republicans, according to state voter data from January.

The party's platform embraces a small government approach toward both taxes and many social issues.

"Libertarians reject the notion that groups have inherent rights. We support the rights of the smallest minority, the individual," states the national Libertarian party's platform.

Bruno said explaining her party's beliefs is often the first part of introducing herself to voters.

“A lot of Libertarians hate this ... but I tell people I’m a fiscal conservative and a social liberal," Bruno said.

Bruno supports abortion rights, is against vaccine mandates and rejects tax increases.

Libertarians could see largest percentage of votes in Oklahoma attorney general's race

Todd Hagopian of Bixby became a Libertarian during the 2016 presidential campaign when he was dissatisfied with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

“I was a Republican for a long time, and they talk a good game about small government, but they have been in charge most of my life and have never lived up to it,” Hagopian said.

More:Stitt’s ‘rural wall’ could be a significant edge this election

Hagopian said Bruno’s philanthropic experience is an asset and he also believes she brings in a new group of voters than Powell did four years ago.

“She is running pro-cannabis and pro-choice, which are key issues in Oklahoma in 2022, and people need to pay attention,” Hagopian said.

Libertarian candidates will appear on five statewide ballots this year, including lieutenant governor, which Powell, the 2018 gubernatorial candidate, is running for. "My whole campaign is we don't need a lieutenant governor in Oklahoma," Powell said.

But the Libertarian candidate with a chance to receive the most votes might be Lynda Steele, who is running for attorney general, a race that does not have a Democratic candidate.

"I think she will likely set the record for the largest third-party vote total in Oklahoma history," said Hagopian, who received 24% of the vote as the Libertarian candidate in the 2020 corporation commissioner's race.

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Oklahoma state government reporting is supported in part by a grant from the Kirkpatrick Foundation. To support work like this, consider purchasing a digital subscription to the Oklahoman today.

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Bruno said she hopes her campaign inspires more Libertarian candidates to run for office, especially as more voters are searching for another option.

“You always hear voters say they decided to support the lesser of two evils, but a third-party candidate gives you a chance to support someone you actually like," Bruno said. "If nothing else, it sends a message to the other two parties."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bruno tops the ballot for Oklahoma Libertarians, looking for growth