Angela McArdle

Angela Elise McArdle (born June 7, 1983) is an American politician who is the chair of the Mises Caucus, a political action committee, since June 2025. She previously served as the 22nd chair of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) from May 2022 to February 2025, secretary of the Libertarian Party of California from April 2018 to April 2019

Early life and education

McArdle has worked as a paralegal and legal aide for over eleven years. She currently works in litigation and also has a private practice where she provides self-help legal services to low-income clients. The bulk of McArdle's practices focus on real estate and constitutional law.

McArdle received her Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University in 2009 and a Paralegal Certificate from UCLA Extension in 2013. She is also trained as a craniosacral therapist through the Upledger Institute. She finished the primary in 17th place out of a field of 22 candidates with 0.8%. McArdle ran again for the seat in 2018 and finished in 3rd place in a field of 3 candidates with 8.4%.

In 2021 and 2022, McArdle was a candidate for Chair of the Libertarian National Committee. She was endorsed by the Mises Caucus, of which she was also a board member.

At Porcfest 2021, an annual libertarian festival held in New Hampshire, Executive Director of the Free State Project, Jeremy Kauffman and McArdle debated which strategy is more effective, the libertarian party strategy or the free state movement strategy. Kauffman argued that, "There are more people in this room that are elected members to the NH House of Representatives and former members of the Libertarian Party than there are Libertarian Party members nationwide."

McArdle was openly critical of Joe Exotic's short-lived campaign in the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries.

In February 2023, McArdle spoke at the Rage Against the War Machine Rally, co-hosted with the People's Party, where she called on a cut to all aid to Ukraine, and for Ukraine to surrender all of its Russian-occupied territories. In June, McArdle also wrote an op-ed for Newsweek arguing that Russian forces were not committing a genocide in Ukraine.

McArdle notably endorsed Libertarian nominee Chase Oliver in the 2024 United States presidential election as a vehicle for Donald Trump's victory. She said that Oliver would take more votes from the Democratic nominee, and that it would be challenging to get libertarians and right of center independents to vote for him, so it would make the most sense to make Oliver a spoiler candidate for the Democrats.

"Joint fundraiser" dispute

In mid-July 2024, McArdle entered a heated dispute with Caryn Ann Harlos, the National Secretary of the Libertarian Party, due to McArdle approving a "joint fundraiser" with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign. Harlos argued that the vote to approve the joint fundraiser did not pass the threshold specified in LP bylaws, and that by forcing it through regardless McArdle violated even more bylaws and exceeded her power as chairwoman. 3.1, (The Statement of Principles affirms that philosophy upon which the Libertarian Party is founded, by which it shall be sustained, and through which liberty shall prevail.) The enduring importance of the Statement of Principles requires that it may be amended only by a vote of 7/8 of all registered delegates at a regular convention. Hagopian also argued that McArdle illegally made the meeting to approve the Kennedy fundraiser as an "emergency" meeting to bypass receiving the required number of votes of libertarian delegates. Harlos responded saying that her motion wasn't dilatory, since it would only hold the fundraiser's approval if the vote passes, to which McArdle again called Harlos as "dilatory and unprofessional" and asked her to rescind her judicial case and her motion to delay. Later that day, Kennedy announced on Twitter that his campaign has signed the joint fundraiser, and that it was now in effect. On July 27, Harlos sued the Colorado affiliate, and their chairwoman Hannah Goodman, for their support of Kennedy in response McArdle called an emergency session of the executive committee on July 30. This meeting opened with McArdle attempting to transition the meeting to an executive session, so that McArdle would have more power over votes, in a 3–3 tie this motion failed. McArdle began by arguing that the LNC cannot indemnify Harlos due to her lawsuit and for acting outside "your bylaws-mandated duties" due to being in conflict with the LNC as such she should be removed from her position. During which committee chairman, Blay Tarnoff, ruled that article 2 was "a preparation, not a strict bylaw", however, also stated that the joint fundraiser was improper and asked why the LNC rushed to vote through a motion they had never seen, to which McArdle responded "We were in a hurry."

Formal investigation and resignation On January 23, 2025, four LNC members moved to form a committee "to investigate allegations of misconduct by our Chair". The following day, McArdle announced her intention to resign as LNC Chair, citing new opportunities in the second Trump administration, likely under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Department of Health and Human Services. She continued as chair until her successor was elected in a special election on February 2. On June 9, the Investigatory Committee submitted its final report to the LNC. The report found gross fiduciary violations on McArdle's part, including paying her partner ~$49,600 through a shell PAC (Freedom Calls LLC) without board approval, and for personally receiving ~$32,000 from the “Kennedy Victory Fund" without disclosing it, and for using party resources to promote the “Rescue the Republic” rally which was hosted by another non-profit she founded, effectively pocketing that money too. The report concluded that McArdle is “unfit to serve on the Libertarian National Committee, as an affiliate leader or as a candidate representing the Libertarian Party.”

Electoral history

2022 Libertarian National Committee chair election CandidateFirst Ballot% Angela McArdle 692 69.6 Steve Dasbach 151 15.2 Tony D'Orazio 103 10.4 NOTA 47 4.7 Adam Kokesh (write-in) 1 nilTiffany Deleon (write-in)1nil Totals 995 100%