:Jo Jorgensen

{{Short description|2020 Libertarian Party US presidential nominee}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jo Jorgensen

| image = Jo Jorgensen portrait 3.jpg

| caption = Jorgensen in 2020

| image_upright =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|5|1}}

| birth_place = Libertyville, Illinois, U.S.

| party = Libertarian

| education = Baylor University (BS)
Southern Methodist University (MBA)
Clemson University (PhD)

| occupation = {{hlist|Academic}}

| employer = Clemson University

| children = 2

| signature = Jo Jorgensen Signature.svg

| signature_size = 125px

| website =

}}

Jo Jorgensen{{cite web |title=Jo Jorgensen Biography |url=https://2020election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=007129 |website=ProCon |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. |access-date=30 September 2020 |date=26 August 2020}}{{cite web |title=Statement of Candidacy – Jo Jorgensen |url=https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/579/201908130300292579/201908130300292579.pdf |website=Federal Election Commission |access-date=8 October 2020 |date=13 August 2019}} (born May 1, 1957) is an American libertarian political activist and academic. Jorgensen was the Libertarian Party's nominee for president of the United States in the 2020 election, in which she finished third in the popular vote with about 1.9 million votes, 1.2% of the national total. She was previously the party's nominee for vice president in the 1996 election, as Harry Browne's running mate. She is a full-time lecturer of psychology at Clemson University.

Early life and career

Jorgensen was born on May 1, 1957, in Libertyville, Illinois, and raised in neighboring Grayslake. She is an alumna of Grayslake Central High School.{{cite web |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200525/woman-who-grew-up-in-grayslake-is-libertarian-partys-presidential-pick |title=Woman who grew up in Grayslake is Libertarian Party's presidential pick |date=May 25, 2020 |access-date=May 25, 2020 |author=Susnjara, Bob |work=Daily Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526090039/https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200525/woman-who-grew-up-in-grayslake-is-libertarian-partys-presidential-pick |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |url-status=live}} Her grandparents were Danish immigrants.{{cite web |title=Jo Jorgensen on Twitter: "I have a dream for America. I would like to return the country to the vision my grandparents came here for, one of freedom and working hard and getting somewhere w/out the gov't taking it all like their homeland did. They came from Denmark. #VoteGold #Election2020" / Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/jorgensen4potus/status/1288081519156895749 |access-date=2020-11-06 |website=Twitter |language=en}}

Jorgensen received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology at Baylor University in 1979 and a master's degree in business administration at Southern Methodist University in 1980. She began her career at IBM working with computer systems, leaving to become part owner and President of Digitech, Inc.{{cite web |url=http://www2.furman.edu/sites/center-for-corporate-and-professional-development/who-we-are/Pages/Jo-Jorgenson.aspx |title=Jo Jorgenson | Meet Our Faculty | Who We Are | Center for Corporate and Professional Development |website=Furman University |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206043148/http://www.furman.edu/sites/center-for-corporate-and-professional-development/who-we-are/Pages/Jo-Jorgenson.aspx |archive-date=December 6, 2017 |url-status=dead}} She received a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Clemson University in 2002.{{cite web |url=https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/faculty-staff/profiles/jjorgen |title=College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences {{!}} Faculty and Staff Profile |website=Clemson University |access-date=2020-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610155258/https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/faculty-staff/profiles/jjorgen |archive-date=June 10, 2020 |url-status=live}} She has taught full-time at Clemson since 2006.{{cite web |url=http://jo20.com/about/ |title=About Jo Jorgensen Campaign |access-date=Aug 14, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/faculty-staff/profiles/jjorgen |title=Faculty – Department of Psychology |website=Clemson University |access-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610155258/https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/faculty-staff/profiles/jjorgen |archive-date=June 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}

Political career

= 1992 U.S. House of Representatives campaign =

Jorgensen first ran for office in the 1992 United States House of Representatives election. She ran as a Libertarian to represent SC-04, in northwest South Carolina, against incumbent Democrat Liz J. Patterson and Republican challenger Bob Inglis. Jorgensen placed third with 2.2% of the total vote.{{cite web |title=Annual Report: 1992–1993 |url=https://www.scvotes.gov/files/ElectionReports/Election_Report_1992-1993.pdf |website=South Carolina Election Commission |access-date=11 October 2020 |page=82 |archive-date=October 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014232118/https://www.scvotes.gov/files/ElectionReports/Election_Report_1992-1993.pdf |url-status=dead }}

= 1996 vice presidential campaign =

Before the 1996 United States presidential election, the Libertarian Party nominated Jorgensen for vice president, as Harry Browne's running mate. She was nominated on the first ballot with 92% of the vote.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/07/07/seeking-political-breakthrough-libertarians-pick-harry-browne/ff2c8419-b923-4198-9973-0e4bc5477875/ |title=Seeking Political Breakthrough, Libertarians Pick Harry Browne |first=David S. |last=Broder |newspaper=Washington Post |date=July 7, 1996 |access-date=April 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612142523/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/07/07/seeking-political-breakthrough-libertarians-pick-harry-browne/ff2c8419-b923-4198-9973-0e4bc5477875/ |archive-date=June 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/73406-1 |title=Libertarian Convention Acceptance Speeches |work=C-SPAN Video Library |date=July 6, 1996 |access-date=May 27, 2012}} She participated in a vice-presidential debate televised nationwide by C-SPAN on October 22, along with Herbert Titus of the Taxpayers Party and Mike Tompkins of the Natural Law Party.{{cite web |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?76077-1/party-vice-presidential-debate |title=Third Party Vice Presidential Debate |website=CNN |access-date=July 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612091835/https://www.c-span.org/video/?76077-1%2Fparty-vice-presidential-debate |date=October 22, 1996 |archive-date=June 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}

Browne and Jorgensen, who were on the ballot in all 50 states and D.C., received 485,759 votes, finishing in fifth place with 0.5% of the popular vote. This was the Libertarian Party's best performance since 1980.

= 2020 presidential campaign =

{{further|2020 United States presidential election#Libertarian Party|2020 Libertarian Party presidential primaries|2020 Libertarian National Convention}}

On August 13, 2019, Jorgensen filed with the FEC to run for the Libertarian presidential nomination in the 2020 election.{{cite web |url=https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/P00013524/ |title=Jorgensen, Jo – Candidate for President ID: P00013524 |website=FEC.gov |date=August 13, 2019 |access-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019043414/https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/P00013524/ |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |url-status=live}} She formally launched her campaign at the November 2, 2019, Libertarian Party of South Carolina convention before participating in the South Carolina Libertarian presidential debate the same day.{{cite web |url=https://reason.com/2019/11/07/candidates-vie-to-represent-the-libertarian-wing-of-the-libertarian-party/ |title=Candidates Vie to Represent the Libertarian Wing of the Libertarian Party |author=Welch, Matt |date=November 7, 2019 |access-date=February 12, 2020 |work=Reason |author-link=Matt Welch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214045247/https://reason.com/2019/11/07/candidates-vie-to-represent-the-libertarian-wing-of-the-libertarian-party/ |archive-date=December 14, 2019 |url-status=live}}

In the non-binding Libertarian primaries, Jorgensen was second in the cumulative popular vote, winning two of the 12 primaries.

On May 23, 2020, Jorgensen became the Libertarian presidential nominee, making her the first woman to be the Libertarian nominee and the only female 2020 presidential candidate with ballot access to over 270 electoral votes. Spike Cohen, a mostly unknown figure in mainstream politics, was nominated for vice president.{{cite web |title=Jo Jorgensen Wins Libertarian Party Presidential Nomination |url=https://reason.com/2020/05/23/jo-jorgensen-wins-libertarian-party-presidential-nomination/ |date=May 23, 2020 |website=Reason.com |language=en-US |access-date=May 24, 2020 |author=Brian Doherty |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524160040/https://reason.com/2020/05/23/jo-jorgensen-wins-libertarian-party-presidential-nomination/ |archive-date=May 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Libertarians pick first female presidential nominee |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/libertarians-pick-first-female-presidential-nominee |last=Steinhauser |first=Paul |date=2020-05-25 |website=Fox News |language=en-US |access-date=2020-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525213213/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/libertarians-pick-first-female-presidential-nominee |archive-date=May 25, 2020 |url-status=live}} The same day, Jorgensen's supporters repurposed Hillary Clinton's unofficial 2016 campaign slogan, "I'm With Her". The slogan trended on Twitter that night and made national headlines.{{cite web |last1=Obeidallah |first1=Dean |title=The truth about 'I'm with her' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/24/opinions/libertarian-trump-re-election-jorgensen-clinton-obeidallah/index.html |website=www.cnn.com |date=May 24, 2020 |access-date=3 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603095638/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/24/opinions/libertarian-trump-re-election-jorgensen-clinton-obeidallah/index.html |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |url-status=live}} She registered minimal support in opinion polling.Jeremy W. Peters, [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/16/us/politics/trump-polls.html 'Hidden' Trump Voters Exist. But How Much Impact Will They Have?], New York Times (August 16, 2020).

Jorgensen released a list of potential Supreme Court nominees in September 2020 in response to the vacancy on the Court created by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death.{{cite web |url=https://jo20.com/jorgensen-issues-list-of-potential-u-s-supreme-court-picks/ |title=Jorgensen issues list of potential U.S. Supreme Court picks |date=September 24, 2020 |access-date=October 12, 2020 |archive-date=November 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104011531/https://jo20.com/jorgensen-issues-list-of-potential-u-s-supreme-court-picks/ |url-status=dead }}

Jorgensen received more than 1.8 million votes in the general election, about 1.2% of the national total.

After the election, several media outlets speculated that Jorgensen's candidacy resulted in vote splitting significant enough to be decisive in Democrat Joe Biden's victory over Republican Donald Trump, pointing to Jorgensen's vote share being higher than Biden's margin of victory over Trump in multiple battleground states. While many pundits claimed that Trump would have won had she not run, others believed that many Jorgensen voters would have abstained from voting, as opposed to voting for Trump.{{cite news |last1=Coaston |first1=Jane |title=How the Libertarian Party (maybe) helped shift the presidential race |url=https://www.vox.com/21561230/libertarian-party-third-party-2020-election |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=Vox |date=13 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Michael Warren |title=Libertarians suck |url=https://spectator.us/libertarians-suck-election/ |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=The Spectator |date=29 November 2020 |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211155224/https://spectator.us/libertarians-suck-election/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Bekiempis |first1=Victoria |title=Was Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen a 'spoiler' for Trump? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/08/libertarian-jo-jorgensen-donald-trump-joe-biden |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=8 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Block |first1=Walter E. |author1-link=Walter Block |title=Libertarians Spoil the Election |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/libertarians-spoil-the-election-11604867668 |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=8 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Aldrich |first1=John |title=Does Joe Biden owe his win to Jo Jorgensen? |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/525321-does-joe-biden-owe-his-win-to-jo-jorgensen |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=The Hill |date=10 November 2020}}

Political positions

File:Jo Jorgensen (50447934788).jpg, October 10, 2020]]

= Healthcare and social security =

Jorgensen supports a free-market healthcare system financed by individual spending accounts that could keep any savings, which she believes would increase healthcare providers' incentive to compete by meeting consumer demand for low-cost services.{{cite web |url=https://www.wsaw.com/2020/07/26/libertarian-party-presidential-candidate-jo-jorgensen-campaigns-in-wisconsin/ |title=Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate Jo Jorgensen campaigns in Wisconsin |website=WSAW |date=July 25, 2020 |access-date=Aug 14, 2020}}{{cite web |first=Brian |last=Doherty |title=Libertarian Presidential Contender Jo Jorgensen Wants To Combine Principle With Palatable Persuasion |url=https://reason.com/2020/05/21/libertarian-presidential-contender-jo-jorgensen-wants-to-combine-principle-with-palatable-persuasion/ |date=May 21, 2020 |website=Reason.com |language=en-US |access-date=May 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524155046/https://reason.com/2020/05/21/libertarian-presidential-contender-jo-jorgensen-wants-to-combine-principle-with-palatable-persuasion/ |archive-date=May 24, 2020 |url-status=live}} She opposes single-payer healthcare, calling it "disastrous".

Jorgensen supports replacing Social Security with individual retirement accounts.{{cite web |url=https://jo20.com/issues/social-security/ |title=Social Security |access-date=Aug 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024100227/https://jo20.com/issues/social-security/ |url-status=dead }} In the final debate of the 2020 primaries, candidate Jacob Hornberger accused Jorgensen of "support[ing] the welfare state through Social Security and Medicare". In response, she called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme". She then expressed the desire to allow people to opt out of the program on her first day in office, while emphasizing the constitutional inability of a president to unilaterally end the program without Congress's support, as well as the need for the government to fulfill existing Social Security obligations.{{cite web |last1=Doherty |first1=Brian |title=Libertarian Party Presidential Debate Offers Choice Between All Liberty Now or Moving the Ball of Liberty Down the Field |url=https://reason.com/2020/05/22/libertarian-party-presidential-debate-offers-choice-between-all-liberty-now-or-moving-the-ball-of-liberty-down-the-field/ |website=Reason |access-date=7 August 2020 |date=22 May 2020}}{{cite web |publisher=LibertarianParty |title=Final Libertarian Presidential Debate with John Stossel |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5anJkuMys |website=YouTube |access-date=7 August 2020 |date=21 May 2020}} Under Jorgensen's plan, those who opt out would put 6.2% of their payroll taxes in individual retirement accounts and receive prorated Social Security benefits for existing contributions as zero-coupon bonds for retirement.{{cite web |url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/06/28/social-security-would-be-drastically-changed-under.aspx |title=Social Security Would Be Drastically Changed Under This Presidential Candidate's Plan |date=June 28, 2020 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629093124/https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/06/28/social-security-would-be-drastically-changed-under.aspx |archive-date=June 29, 2020 |url-status=live}}

= Criminal justice and drug policy =

File:Jorgensen rally Durham 02.jpg in 2020.]]

Jorgensen opposes federal civil asset forfeiture and qualified immunity.{{cite web |url=https://joj2020.com/issues-jo-jorgensen/ |title=Jo Jorgensen's Bold, Practical, Libertarian Vision for America's Future |work=Jo Jorgensen for President 2020 |access-date=May 24, 2020 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525010510/https://joj2020.com/issues-jo-jorgensen/ |archive-date=May 25, 2020 |url-status=live}} She opposes the war on drugs and supports abolishing drug laws, promising to pardon all nonviolent drug offenders.{{cite web |author=Dinan, Stephen |date=June 12, 2020 |title=Libertarian nominee says Trump, Biden both tainted on race |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jun/12/libertarian-nominee-says-trump-biden-both-tainted-/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620174239/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jun/12/libertarian-nominee-says-trump-biden-both-tainted-/ |archive-date=June 20, 2020 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |work=Washington Times |language=en}} She has urged the demilitarization of police.{{cite web |last=DiStaso |first=John |date=2020-06-04 |title=NH Primary Source: Libertarian presidential candidate Jorgensen urges end of police 'militarization' |url=https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-primary-source-libertarian-presidential-candidate-jorgensen-urges-end-of-police-militarization/32761826 |access-date=2020-06-18 |website=WMUR |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618184549/https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-primary-source-libertarian-presidential-candidate-jorgensen-urges-end-of-police-militarization/32761826 |archive-date=June 18, 2020 |url-status=live}} Additionally, Jorgensen supports the Second Amendment.{{cite news |title=Libertarian Nominee Jo Jorgensen on Campaign 2020 |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?473680-5/libertarian-nominee-jo-jorgensen-campaign-2020 |work=Washington Journal |agency=C-SPAN |date=11 July 2020}}

= Foreign policy and defense =

Jorgensen opposes embargoes, economic sanctions, and foreign aid; she supports non-interventionism, armed neutrality, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from abroad.{{cite web |url=https://joj2020.com/neutrailty-and-peace/ |title=Turn America into One Giant Switzerland: Armed and Neutral |work=Jo Jorgensen for President 2020 |access-date=May 24, 2020 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609131739/https://joj2020.com/neutrailty-and-peace/ |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://reason.com/2020/05/21/libertarian-presidential-contender-jo-jorgensen-wants-to-combine-principle-with-palatable-persuasion/ |title=Libertarian Presidential Contender Jo Jorgensen Wants To Combine Principle With Palatable Persuasion |date=May 21, 2020 |access-date=May 24, 2020 |work=Reason |author=Doherty, Brian |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524155046/https://reason.com/2020/05/21/libertarian-presidential-contender-jo-jorgensen-wants-to-combine-principle-with-palatable-persuasion/ |archive-date=May 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}

= Immigration, economics, and trade =

Jorgensen calls for deregulation, arguing that it would reduce poverty.{{cite news |first=Rick |last=Solem |url=https://www.wizmnews.com/2020/06/13/the-other-jo-wants-your-2020-vote-if-youre-fed-up-with-the-two-party-system-or-if-youre-not/ |title=The other 'Jo' wants your 2020 vote, if you're fed up with the two-party system, or if you're not |work=WIZM News Talk 1410 AM |date=June 13, 2020}} She supports cutting government spending to reduce taxes.{{Citation|url=https://jo20.com/issues/taxes/|title=Taxes|work=Jo Jorgensen for President|access-date=August 17, 2020|archive-date=August 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809140414/https://jo20.com/issues/taxes/|url-status=dead}}

Jorgensen supports the freedom of American citizens to travel and trade, calls for the elimination of trade barriers and tariffs, and supports the repeal of quotas on the number of people who can legally enter the United States to work, visit, or reside.{{cite web |url=https://jo20.com/issues/trade-immigration/ |title=Trade and Immigration | Libertarian Candidates stance | 2020 |access-date=Aug 14, 2020 |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809150207/https://jo20.com/issues/trade-immigration/ |url-status=dead }} In a Libertarian presidential primary debate, Jorgensen said she would immediately stop construction on President Donald Trump's border wall. During another primary debate she blamed anti-immigration sentiment on disproportionate media coverage of crimes by immigrants. She argued that immigration helps the economy and that the blending of cultures is beneficial.{{cite web |title=Libertarian Party Presidential Debate Offers Choice Between All Liberty Now or Moving the Ball of Liberty Down the Field |url=https://reason.com/2020/05/22/libertarian-party-presidential-debate-offers-choice-between-all-liberty-now-or-moving-the-ball-of-liberty-down-the-field/ |website=Reason |date=May 22, 2020 |access-date=May 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522200214/https://reason.com/2020/05/22/libertarian-party-presidential-debate-offers-choice-between-all-liberty-now-or-moving-the-ball-of-liberty-down-the-field/ |archive-date=May 22, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Final Libertarian Presidential Debate with John Stossel |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5anJkuMys |website=Youtube.com | date=May 21, 2020 |access-date=May 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712111851/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5anJkuMys |archive-date=July 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Libertarian Party of Kentucky Presidential Debates: the Finale |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYFlrDIeOz8&t=4006s |website=Youtube | date=May 9, 2020 |access-date=May 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711063433/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYFlrDIeOz8&t=4006s |archive-date=July 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}Cami Mondeaux, [https://kslnewsradio.com/1928628/the-alternative-presidential-candidate-jo-jorgensen-for-the-libertarian-party/? "The alternative presidential candidate: Jo Jorgensen runs for the Libertarian Party"], KLS News radio 102.7 FM, July 5, 2020

= COVID-19 =

Jorgensen has characterized the U.S. government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as overly bureaucratic and authoritarian, calling restrictions on individual behavior (such as stay-at-home orders) and corporate bailouts "the biggest assault on our liberties in our lifetime".{{cite web |title=Jorgensen Brings Pragmatic Approach to Libertarian Presidential Campaign |url=https://www.amarillopioneer.com/blog/2020/5/19/jorgensen-brings-pragmatic-approach-to-libertarian-presidential-campaign |website=The Amarillo Pioneer |date=May 19, 2020 |language=en-US |access-date=May 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611002619/https://www.amarillopioneer.com/blog/2020/5/19/jorgensen-brings-pragmatic-approach-to-libertarian-presidential-campaign |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=NH Primary Source: Libertarian presidential candidate Jorgensen urges end of police 'militarization' |url=https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-primary-source-libertarian-presidential-candidate-jorgensen-urges-end-of-police-militarization/32761826# |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618184549/https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-primary-source-libertarian-presidential-candidate-jorgensen-urges-end-of-police-militarization/32761826 |archive-date=June 18, 2020 |website=www.wmur.com |date=June 4, 2020 |access-date=June 18, 2020}}

Jorgensen opposes government mask mandates, considering mask-wearing a matter of personal choice. She argues that mask-wearing would be widely adopted without government intervention because market competition would drive businesses to adopt either mask-required or mask-optional policies, allowing consumers the freedom to choose their preferred environment. Jorgensen has invoked the analogy of dollar voting to argue that consumer preferences would shape businesses' policies on face masks in the absence of a government mandate.{{cite podcast |url=https://reason.com/podcast/jo-jorgensen-dont-waste-your-vote-on-trump-or-biden/ |title=Jo Jorgensen: Don't Waste Your Vote on Trump or Biden |website=Reason |last=Gillespie |first=Nick |author-link=Nick Gillespie |date=23 September 2020 |time=21:48–29:06 |access-date=30 September 2020}}

Personal life

Jorgensen is married and has two adult daughters and a grandson.{{cite web |url=https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2020/05/jo-jorgensen-message-to-delegates/ |title=Jo Jorgensen message to delegates | Independent Political Report |date=May 18, 2020 |access-date=July 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604002453/https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2020/05/jo-jorgensen-message-to-delegates/ |archive-date=June 4, 2020 |url-status=live}} She briefly paused her presidential campaign after her mother's death on September 3, 2020.{{cite news |title=Dr. Jo Jorgensen, Libertarian presidential candidate, announces her mother has passed away |url=https://thepampanews.com/news/dr-jo-jorgensen-libertarian-presidential-candidate-announces-her-mother-has-passed-away |access-date=30 September 2020 |work=The Pampa News |date=5 September 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin|title=South Carolina's 4th Congressional District Election Results, 1992}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Bob Inglis|votes=99,879|percentage=50.3|change=+11.9|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Liz J. Patterson (incumbent)|votes=94,182|percentage=47.5|change=-13.9|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Jo Jorgensen|votes=4,286|percentage=2.2|change=+2.2|}}

{{Election box majority||votes=5,697|percentage=2.8|change=-20.2}}

| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}

| colspan=5 |Republican gain from Democratic

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 1996 United States Presidential Election

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Bill Clinton/Al Gore (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 47,402,357

| percentage = 49.2%

}}