Austin Petersen (born February 19, 1981) is an American political activist, media producer, and commentator known for his involvement in libertarian politics and political media. He founded and led several libertarian news and commentary outlets and ran for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination in 2016, finishing as the runner-up. Petersen has since continued to work in political media and to campaign for elected office.

Career and media work

Petersen has worked as a producer and entrepreneur in photo, video, and online publishing. He is the owner and CEO of a consulting firm, Stonegait LLC, and founded two libertarian-focused websites, The Libertarian Republic and Liberty Viral. Through these projects he produced commentary, interviews, and articles aimed at promoting limited-government ideas and civil liberties.

Political campaigns and activity

In 2016 Petersen sought the Libertarian Party nomination for President of the United States. He placed second in the party's nominating contest, receiving a substantial minority of delegate support and finishing behind former governor Gary Johnson. Later, he entered electoral politics in Missouri, seeking a U.S. Senate seat in 2018 and competing in the Republican primary; he did not secure the nomination.

Views and public profile

Petersen's public positions are broadly aligned with libertarian principles: advocating for smaller government, stronger civil liberties, protection of individual rights including gun ownership, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. He has appeared in interviews and debates to discuss these themes and to challenge both major parties on issues of liberty and government overreach.

Notable facts and distinctions

  • Petersen became a recognizable figure within libertarian media by building online platforms and hosting commentary formats that reached sympathetic audiences.
  • His 2016 campaign raised his national profile and led to increased visibility among voters and in political media circles.
  • He has combined media entrepreneurship with campaigning, an approach common among modern political communicators.

Petersen remains active as a commentator and organizer. His career illustrates the overlap between independent media production and political activism in contemporary American politics. For more on his media projects and public statements, see his outlets and campaign materials: media projects, campaign pages.