March 10, 2026 11:52 AM UTC

Libertarians Ditch Pledge, Chair Notes Evans Promised to ‘Oppose Endless Wars … And Then Did the Opposite’

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• by: Erik Maulbetsch

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Originally posted at the Colorado Times Recorder

A unique political partnership ended last month when recently elected members of the State Board of the Libertarian Party of Colorado “formally denounced and nullified the so-called ‘Liberty Pledge,’” at its February meeting.

During the 2024 election cycle, the previous Libertarian Party leadership used the Liberty Pledge as a mechanism to support Republican candidates who were claimed to hold “libertarian-leaning” views. In several races, the Libertarian Party leadership showed support for Republican candidates who signed the Liberty Pledge.

The most prominent Republican to sign the pledge was then-state Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Ft. Lupton), who was running to flip Colorado’s newest congressional district. It appears to have worked. The Libertarian candidate bowed out, and Evans won by about 2,500 votes, far fewer than the last LPCO candidate received in the previous election, which saw Democrat Yadira Caraveo narrowly defeat another Republican legislator, Barb Kirkmeyer.

However, neither Evans’ votes nor his public statements since taking office have lived up to the promises he made when he signed the pledge, most notably when it comes to America’s military action overseas.

Two of the 13 planks of Evans’ LPCO pledge addressed the issue:

Plank number three states, “As a combat veteran who has borne the cost of an “endless war,” I will oppose military adventurism and direct military action that does not immediately affect US national security.”

And plank five: “I will work to remove non-Constitutional presidential war powers and return those powers back to Congress.”

Evans has been a vocal supporter of the Trump Administration’s use of force, both domestically and abroad. Just last week, he voted against a War Powers Resolution that would have directed the president, “pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

While Evans support of the war in Iran took place after the LPCO nullified its pledge, he also supported Trump’s unilateral invasion of Venezuela to capture its president.

“We did away with [the pledge],” said Keith Laube, chair of the Colorado Libertarian Party. “Our goal is to give people an alternative to the two-party system, which just isn’t working. Major political party candidates have to vote along party lines, if they don’t they lose support. Libertarians deserve to be able to vote for candidates from their own party, and it wasn’t fair for party leaders to deny them that. Not only was it against our bylaws, but it didn’t serve the party very well. We didn’t have any power to hold candidates accountable to the pledge once they are in office.”

Asked if he felt Evans’ pledge was more of a political tactic than a willingness to promote Libertarian policies, especially in light of Evans’ support of the ongoing war in Iran, Laube concurred.

“You’re right about that — he signed the pledge to oppose endless wars and to remove presidential war powers, and then did the opposite,” he said. “Libertarians believe in non-intervention abroad, staying out of unnecessary wars, and maintaining a government that is accountable to its citizens. The current Republican administration’s actions — including deploying ICE and masked military police into communities and intimidating schools — are unacceptable to Libertarians.”

Laube says the party is focused on recruiting candidates up and down the ballot, from federal and statehouse seats to city and county races.

“We want more conversations and less blame,” said Laube. “The more candidates we run, the more ideas we can get out there, the more solutions we can offer.”

Other Republicans who signed the pledge continue to abide by its tenets. Libertarian podcaster Brandon Wark praised State Rep. Ken DeGRaaf (R-CO Springs) at a meeting of Libertarian activists last week, describing him as the most liberty-minded legislator in Colorado.

Last fall DeGraaf told the Colorado Times Recorder that he signed the pledge because he already believed in all its values. This session, State Rep. Ryan Gonzalez (R-Greeley) again introduced his Cottage Foods Act, known as the TAMALE Act, a bill to cut regulations on the selling of homemade food items. It died in committee in 2025, but this year, now with bipartisan support from House Majority Leader Monica Duran, the decidedly pro-liberty bill appears poised for passage.

Evans did not respond to an email inquiry as to whether he had any concerns about his vote on the War Powers Resolution or his support of the Iran war being in conflict with his signed pledge. This article will be updated with any response received.