[Indianapolis, Indiana] Indiana Libertarains tday nominated Rupert Boneham as their gubernatorial candidate and Brad Klopfenstein as his running mate. The Libertarian Party of Indiana met today in their state convention and gave an overwhelming "yes" vote to Boneham.

“I’m honored,” says Boneham. “We’ve travelled across the state, meeting with Libertarians, and today they gave their approval to my message of shrinking the government, creating empowerment programs out of entitlements, and leveling the playing field for small businesses.”

Boneham, who was raised in Kokomo and now lives in Indianapolis, is best known for competing on the CBS television show Survivor. During his second season competing, he was awarded the “Fan Favorite” prize by receiving almost 80 percent of the 38 million votes cast by fans of the show. Boneham is also known in Indianapolis for his charity, Rupert's Kids, and his 20-plus years of work with at-risk youth.

Although Boneham was the only declared candidate for governor on the Libertarian list, approval of his candidacy was not certain until delegates to the state convention cast their votes today. The Libertarian party always makes “none of the above” an option. The party uses the convention system, instead of taxpayer funded primary system to select their candidates for office. Boneham spent the past several months traveling the state, meeting with Libertarians, and explaining his plans for bringing the state government of Indiana into a Libertarian example of limited government, and maximum rights for Hoosiers.

“Rupert was well received everywhere we visited,” says Evan McMahon, Boneham’s campaign manager. “Everyone knows Rupert the celebrity, and our party members have gotten to know Rupert the candidate.”

Also selected at the convention, to serve as the Lieutenant Governor candidate was Brad Klopfenstein, who is a past executive director for the Libertarian Party of Indiana, small business owner, and founder of the Tavern League of Indiana.

“Brad and Rupert balance each other well,” says Sam Goldstein, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. “Brad brings strong respect from his years lobbying in the statehouse on behalf of the Tavern League Indiana. He has been at the forefront of protecting business owners rights from our state government, such as the new smoking ban just enacted,” Goldstein explained.

“Rupert and I make a strong team,” Klopfenstein explains. “We’re taking the message of smaller government and protecting the rights of Hoosiers to the people of our state this year. We’ve got the message that resonates with Hoosiers, and we’ll be driving the conversation in the political arena.”

Boneham and Klopfenstein will face off against nominees from the other two parties in this fall’s election. Those nominees will be selected in the May primaries.

“We will be traveling the state with Rupert and Brad over the next eight months,” McMahon adds. “Hoosiers are telling us now that they are tired of the same old political rhetoric and choices. We’re hearing that in 2012, it’s our time to take the message of liberty and small government to the voters of this state.”