The message from the Libertarian Party was loud and clear: Don’t just vote democrat or republican because you think you have to.

A rally for the Libertarian party was held Saturday in the Lincoln Room of the Holmes Student Center with U.S. Senate candidate Larry Stafford and 14th District Congressional Candidate Dan Druck.

A crowd of about 20 was able to learn more about the party and hear Stafford and Druck explain why they should be elected come Nov. 4.

Competing with democrats and republicans will be no easy task for the Libertarian Party, something Chris George, a sophomore philosophy major who attended the rally, knows very well.

“It’s going to take time [to win over democrats and republicans],” George said. “It’s a matter of having the right candidates, too.”

Stafford stressed that voting for other candidates, such as incumbent Sen. Dick Durbin, will only prolong economic suffering.

“Both parties are promising things that are going to continue us down that path,” Stafford said.

Stafford said he would vote to eliminate the income tax to stop the country from going down “that path.”

In addition to emphasizing their views, Druck and Stafford both spent time casting a negative light on democrat and republican candidates. Druck, who used a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate the definition of “Libertarian,” referred to John McCain as “John McWayne,” drawing laughs from the crowd.

But Dave Brady, chairman of the McHenry County Libertarian Party, stressed what he thought was the most important thing to take away from the rally.

“Don’t let the media make you believe there are only two parties,” Brady said. “Learn what is really out there.”