In Ohio and Indiana, the political establishment learned a difficult lesson this primary season: grassroots activists still matter.
Liberty Action and Make Liberty Win PAC helped deliver victories for at least nine liberty-minded candidates, including multiple challengers who defeated entrenched incumbents. The results represent one of the most significant victories yet for Liberty Action’s Lighthouse State strategy.
For Liberty Action, the victories weren't simply about winning elections—they were about building legislative majorities capable of advancing liberty policies for years to come.
Liberty Action Mid-Atlantic Field Manager Derin Stidd explained that the lighthouse state strategy is contingent on winning state-level elections.
“The big thing that I think students should take away from this is the reason that we're focused on state-level politics is because when it comes to state-level politics, we can win,” he said. “It was a pretty clean sweep when it came to liberty victories in Indiana. Almost every race that Make Liberty Win PAC got in, with the exception of I think 2, they won. They replaced a lot of longstanding sort of very anti-liberty RINOs.”
Liberty Action and MLW PAC orchestrated the largest shake-up in the history of the Indiana state senate. Incumbents rarely lose to grassroots challengers, but liberty activists ousted five incumbent senators, with every challenger winning more than 55% of the vote and one winning nearly 75%.
Five incumbent state senators were defeated by liberty-aligned challengers, including Trevor De Vries, Blake Fiechter, Tracey Powell, Brian Schmutzler, and Michelle Davis.
For years, Indiana's Senate had been one of the biggest obstacles to liberty legislation. This cycle's victories may fundamentally change that dynamic.
These victories show lawmakers that they can’t ignore the will of the people without facing consequences come election season. The wins could help pave the way for property tax reform in Ohio, firearm registry protections in Indiana, and vaccine freedom efforts in multiple states.
Ohio told a similar story.
Rep. Ron Ferguson’s reelection campaign in Ohio is further proof that grassroots activism has power–even against the deep pockets of the establishment.
“Ron Ferguson, who was already a legislator, is our liberty champion,” Stidd said. “He's like the tip of the spear in the fight for liberty in Ohio. And because of that, the establishment outspent him 6-to-1 trying to get him out of office. But Ron ran a good campaign and Make Liberty Win PAC engaged in his district. The students showed up to knock doors for Ron Ferguson and we communicated our message to the voters and we won.”
Ferguson said the campaign's success came from a combination of grassroots support and old-fashioned voter contact.
“Having true grassroots supporters that use their platforms to push that out made just a world of difference,” he said. “I also focused on the old bread and butter, which was knocking on doors. I knocked on thousands of doors myself, and volunteers did thousands more for me. So I'd say that was the one-two punch; was this social media, new media ability to get the message out. And then of course, the good old-fashioned ground and pound at the doors.”
House candidate Shawn Stevens and Rep. Brian Lorenz, both of Ohio, also faced tough primary challenges. Operation Win at the Door knocked over 6,000 doors for both races, culminating in a 56% victory for Stevens and a 78% landslide for Lorenz.
Behind every victory was an army of student activists and volunteers. Through Operation Win at the Door, they knocked doors, sent text messages, and made calls directly to voters across both states.
We're big advocates of this idea that if we can win the war at the door, that's half the battle. - Derin Stidd
“When we get a group of students that are prepared to volunteer or even to join the fight full-time through the Operation Win at the Door campaign, that is the secret sauce of Young Americans for Liberty.”
Stidd said the willingness of students to work together paired with Liberty Action’s experience in mobilization is the key to Liberty Action’s reputation for success. Volunteers are passionately doing the work money can’t buy.
That's why the political establishment fears us, because they know these students are willing to show up and take actions that have a substantial impact in politics. - Derin Stidd
Ohio and Indiana's primary victories are proof that Liberty Action’s grassroots model works. More importantly, they have reshaped the political landscape in both states and created new opportunities for liberty legislation in the years ahead. It’s also a sign to other states that the people have power to hold legislators accountable for their votes.
“What we needed was some people to fight for us on the inside of the legislature, and we think we have that now,” Stidd said. “So huge hope for the future of Indiana right now. And then in Ohio, Ron Ferguson was the tip of the spear for the liberty movement, and him winning that race by more than 60% of the vote after outgetting spent 6-to-1 by the political establishment, he really now has a mandate to go back to Columbus and to make a stand for liberty.”
Stidd emphasized the importance of donations in building the liberty movement, training activists, and developing future candidates.
“When people invest in Young Americans for Liberty, what they're investing in is this next generation of liberty warriors,” he said. “Not only that, but the other thing is now these students are in the fight. So not only did we win because they showed up for this fight, but now they have been recruited into the battle for liberty and they're going to be a foot soldier in the battle for liberty for years to come, not just in this one campaign, but out into the future.
“And so when people contribute to Young Americans for Liberty, they're not just helping us win the fight right now, they're helping us raise up the next generation of liberty warriors.”
Ohio and Indiana demonstrate what happens when principled candidates, committed student activists, and dedicated supporters work together. The victories secured this spring won't just shape the next election—they'll influence legislation, develop future liberty leaders, and strengthen the grassroots movement for years to come.
To help build the next generation of liberty champions, join the fight today.
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