Blog from August 2014

There are 5 blog entries from August 2014

Cannabis Report Survey Responses
August 24th, 2014 | View Post

The Cannabis Report logo
I was recently sent a candidate survey from the Texas Cannabis Report. I will post a direct link to the survey whenever it goes live on their site, but in the meantime wanted to ensure people had full access to my positions.

Do you support any of the following? Please explain your specific stance on the issue.

Hemp legalization

Yes. I absolutely support the legalization of hemp. I do not support placing any unique taxes or restrictions on the growing or selling of hemp, hemp products, or hemp-related industries.

Marijuana penalty reduction

Yes. I fully support marijuana penalty reduction. I do not believe there should be any penalties for growing, possessing, using, selling or distributing marijuana to adults.

Medical marijuana

Yes, I support medical marijuana. It is an absolute travesty that any government would attempt to impose restrictions on a substance that has been medically proven time and again to treat myriad of problems without any significant side effects. Medical marijuana, at an absolute minimum, should be legalized in the State of Texas immediately.

Affirmative medical defense in court for marijuana patients

Yes, I support affirmative medical defenses. I do not support placing any penalties on marijuana and thus this becomes a moot point. However, and speaking within the law, states that allow medical marijuana should not be able to pursue charges of any kind against medical marijuana users regardless of whether the individual can produce state-issued identification cards or not. The right to treat oneself should never be infringed upon.

Marijuana legalization

Yes. I completely support marijuana legalization. While I do not believe that any restrictions or taxes should be placed upon the adult use of this plant, I would be willing to accept the recent Colorado legislation as a step in the right direction.

Releasing non-violent marijuana offenders from prison

Yes. I have stated this position time and again and spoke extensively about it at Texas NORML. People should not be in cages for non-violent drug offense - ever - period. Furthermore, all people who have been convicted of non-violent drug offenses should be immediately removed from prison. I would further add that such people should be restituted by the state for unjust and inhumane imprisonment.

Growing marijuana at home, whether medically or recreationally

Yes. I support the right to grow marijuana at home for any purpose desired, be it medical or recreational. Much like my position on the legalization of marijuana, I do not believe that any restrictions should be placed on growing marijuana at home. That stated, I would be willing to accept the recent Colorado legislation as a step in the right direction (this legislation sets a limit to the quantity of plants that can be grown at any one time).

Austin Pets Directory
August 19th, 2014 | View Post
Austin Pets Directory
The campaign spread in the Austin Pets Directory
One of the best parts of running a political campaign is getting to meet new people in all sorts of life experiences. One of those people I stumbled across happens to be one of Austin's most amazing by the name of Liz Parker.

Liz is the city's go-to for all things related to dogs. She is a volunteer at the Austin Animal Shelter, Austin Pets Alive, and also happens to own a local print magazine called Austin Pets Directory. And wouldn't you know it, she wanted to do a story about the campaign in her magazine. We had a great time with it and I love the writeup she did. The article reads as follows:

Kevin Ludlow is a lot of things. He's a writer, musician, a successful owner and operator of a software firm, an avid animal lover, and most notably - he is a candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in District 46.

He is passionate, but thoughtful, and pretty brilliant. There are a few people who make the world a better place and we think Kevin Ludlow is one of them. A Houston native (we love almost everything about him) and 16 year Austin resident, Kevin has always had a penchant for both writing and political activism. His involvement with civic activities began when he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating with a BA in mathematics in 2003, Ludlow traveled to New Zealand where he lived for a year. After returning to Austin, Kevin returned to writing. He was inspired by the feedback his political musings received and in 2012 that feedback fueled his drive to publish a book, American Healthcare: A Moderate Approach In August of the same year, Ludlow, along with Jad Davis, founded the JKPodcast, a weekly political science podcast. The show quickly grew in popularity and has thousands of listeners.

When Kevin decided to run for office, he never imagined getting this far. "I thought, if I can get even 16% of the votes, that's a huge accomplishment", he says. But the Libertarian party had other plans. Thanks to the party and its volunteers, and thousands of supporters who believe in Ludlow's positions on both state and national issues, he has made incredible progress.

Growing up, the Ludlow family had no less than two cats at a time. Kevin also enjoyed caring for the family fish, gerbils, hamsters, and even a crawfish named Bob. He's also had a Sheltie named Barney the Dog, a Chihuahua named Freckles, and Senor Taco, a dachshund.

He is a big time fan of the put bull breed and is always pet sitting for friends.

If you care about issues like drug law reform, LGBT: marriage and Equality, and women's rights, or just want to learn more, visit Ludlow2014.com.


Press Release - $10,000 Campaign Donation
August 17th, 2014 | View Post
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
$10,000 CAMPAIGN DONATION

The Libertarian Booster PAC has donated $10,000 to candidate Kevin Ludlow for his 2014 Texas House race.

AUSTIN, TX, August 18, 2014: Texas State Rep. District 46 Candidate Kevin Ludlow and his campaign team are pleased to announce they have received a generous donation of $10,000 from the Libertarian Booster PAC.

Ludlow and his team have been running a highly energetic campaign against a 19-year incumbent since early March. President of the Libertarian Booster PAC Wes Benedict writes, "We're happy to see Ludlow's bold and consistent stands for liberty on all issues like taxes, immigration, marriage rights, civil liberties, and more. Texans would be much better served by the policies he supports than by those of his opponent."

Ludlow has a team of more than 30 people working with him on the campaign. They have billboards throughout the district, have visited nearly 10,000 homes, and are highly organized throughout online social networks. Ludlow says, "Naturally I'm thrilled to be singled out by the Booster PAC for the work we're doing, but I deserve very little of the credit. We have an amazing group of people working around the clock and we're still just warming up. This is what grassroots is all about." There are eleven more weeks until the November 4th election.

Kevin Ludlow is the 2014 Libertarian candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in District 46. He holds a mathematics degree from the University of Texas, is a local small business owner, a published author, and a strong community leader.

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For information, upcoming events, and campaign tour dates, please contact our campaign coordinator, Tara Vancil at 512-284-5501 or email Ms. Vancil at tara.b.vancil@gmail.com.
Press Release - Austin Pride Festival
August 16th, 2014 | View Post
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUSTIN PRIDE FESTIVAL

Meet candidate Ludlow, the only candidate for Marriage equality and an avid supporter of the LGTB community!

AUSTIN, TX, August 17, 2014: Texas State Rep. District 46 Candidate Kevin Ludlow and his campaign team will have an activity booth at the 2014 Austin Pride Festival, September 20th at Fiesta Gardens.

As the Libertarian Candidate for House District 46, his stance on marriage equality is a cornerstone of the campaign. He and his staff will be at the Festival for community support, informal personal dialogue, and to join in the party.

Ludlow states, "With all of the bigotry coming from the right and the weak reactionary politics coming from the left, it's time someone introduces proactive legislation to the House floor in support of the LGBTQ community. Equality is equality is equality. Period."

Ludlow invites everyone to stop by his booth at Pride, regardless of gender, orientation, or political stripe. There will be fun, games, and prizes. Come join the fun and see why more and more followers of Texas politics are going #GayForLudlow!

Kevin Ludlow is the 2014 Libertarian candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in District 46. He holds a mathematics degree from the University of Texas, is a local small business owner, a published author, and a strong community leader.

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For information, upcoming events, and campaign tour dates, please contact our campaign coordinator, Tara Vancil at 512-284-5501 or email Ms. Vancil at tara.b.vancil@gmail.com.
Press Release - Spanish Billboard in Manor, TX
August 10th, 2014 | View Post
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPANISH BILLBOARD IN MANOR, TX

MANOR, TX, August 11, 2014 - The Kevin Ludlow for TX House 46 campaign has installed a third campaign billboard in Manor, TX just east of Old Kimbro Road on US290. The new billboard speaks directly to Spanish-speaking voters. It reads: "Viva, Viaje, Trabaje. Yo apoyo fronteras abiertas." The phrases translate to "Live, Travel, Work. I support open borders." The massive 14' x 48' lit advertisement leaves no confusion about Ludlow's position on immigration.

The response on social networking outlets has been overwhelmingly positive. Since its installation last week, people have been reaching out from all around the country. Ludlow states, "I want Spanish-speaking Texans to know that I will stand with them and address this issue without any political rhetoric. It's high time we stop blaming immigrants for the broken economic policies the two parties have left us with." The advertisement is one of very few political billboards in the Austin metro area and has the distinction of being the only one presented entirely in Spanish. According to 2010 census data, House district 46 is 47.2% Hispanic.

The campaign's first billboard is visible on IH35 northbound at US290. It reads: "Drug Reform, LGBT-equality, Civil Liberties", three of Ludlow's campaign platform issues. A second billboard in June read "Support Net-Neutrality". Ludlow is running an enthusiastically active race against a Democrat incumbent who has held office for over 19 years. Ludlow says, "We're working as hard as we can to show Texas that the two-party system is coming to an end; twenty years in office is far too long for any politician." Kevin Ludlow is the 2014 Libertarian candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in District 46. He holds a mathematics degree from the University of Texas, is a small business owner, a community leader, and a published author.

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For information, upcoming events, and campaign tour dates, please contact our campaign coordinator, Tara Vancil at 512-284-5501 or email Ms. Vancil at tara.b.vancil@gmail.com.