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Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik launches Nevada ad campaign

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) September 10, 2004 -- In a tight presidential election which may be decided by a few battleground states, small parties can become big players. Nowhere is this truer than in Nevada. Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik is suddenly a high roller, even on a low budget. And he expects his new ad campaign, launching in Las Vegas and Reno early next week, may ultimately decide the disposition of the state's five electoral votes.

"This is a freedom-loving state," says Badnarik, 50, of Austin, TX. "Nevadans care about gun rights. They care about property rights. They're tolerant and compassionate on issues like medical marijuana. And they're very much opposed to the intrusive role the federal government has played in their state. If a Libertarian can do well anywhere, Nevada is the place."

The ad is produced by, and features, award-winning filmmaker Aaron Russo. It plays up the similarities between front-runners George W. Bush and John F. Kerry, and asks Nevada's voters not to choose "the lesser of two evils."

Russo ran for governor as a Republican in 1998, beating the sitting lieutenant governor and placing a strong second in the GOP primary. He later played a prominent role in forcing the state to implement its medical marijuana program.

"I'm proud to support a man like Michael Badnarik," says Russo, who sought the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination, losing narrowly to Badnarik in a three-way convention battle. "He's the only candidate offering the people of Nevada a real choice, a program that they can support."

Can Badnarik have an effect in Nevada? "There's no doubt. We will decide the election here," says Thomas Knapp, Badnarik's media coordinator. "Bush and Kerry are neck and neck. The latest Rasmussen poll has Badnarik at 3%. This is the latest media buy of several already in the planning process. Every drop in the bucket causes some votes to spill out into our cup. We expect a significant bump from the ads."

Badnarik draws significantly from undecided and independent voters nationwide, topping at 5% overall support in New Mexico. He is on track to appear on the ballot in 48 states, and expects to affect the outcome in several of the hotly contested "battleground" states. "Before we become a majority party, Libertarians have to prove that we can decide the outcome of elections," he says. "Nobody is going to doubt that after November 2nd. We've arrived. We're here to stay. And we're going to change America."

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The commercial is available online at http://badnarik.org/Multimedia/BDNK_RussoEndorse.WMV.

BEGIN AD SCRIPT

MICHAEL BADNARIK: "I'm Michael Badnarik and I approve this message." [Badnarik headshot over flag image

AARON RUSSO: Hello. I'm Aaron Russo. Do you really have a choice in this election? [Russo stands in front of a large ornate mirror

[Graphic: John Kerry's head on left, George W. Bush's on right. Issues checkboxes below

AARON RUSSO: Both Bush and Kerry support the war in Iraq. [Graphic: Flag-draped coffins

AARON RUSSO: Both support stringent gun control laws. Both support the Patriot Act. [Graphic: Table covered with guns

AARON RUSSO: And both support massive government spending. [GRAPHIC: Bills flitting through money-counting machine

AARON RUSSO: These candidates look the same to me. Stop voting for the lesser of two evils. [Graphic: Kerry and Bush morph into a single head with glowing red eyes

AARON RUSSO: Vote for peace and freedom. Vote for Michael Badnarik to stop the war in Iraq and protect our children from the coming military draft. [Graphic: Soldiers placing a flag-draped coffin on tarmac

MICHAEL BADNARIK: Vote for me, Michael Badnarik. All our freedoms, all the time.

END AD SCRIPT