Michael ter Maat (born 1961 or 1962)[1] is an American businessman, former economist, retired police officer, and political candidate. He is a member of the Libertarian Party and their vice presidential nominee in the 2024 election, running with Chase Oliver.[2][3]
Mike ter Maat | |
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Born | 1961-1962 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Education | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (BS, MBA) George Washington University (MA, PhD) |
Political party | Libertarian |
Website | https://miketermaat.com/ |
Ter Maat was a financial economist for the White House from 1989 to 1992. He then worked at the American Bankers Association until 2002. He founded and ran Foreward Financial from 2002 to 2008. He taught at Nova Southeastern University and Barry University from 2008 to 2010. From 2010 to 2021, he was a police officer in Hallandale Beach, Florida. After retiring, he moved to Kinsale, Virginia.[1][4]
Ter Maat first ran for office as a Libertarian in the 2022 special election for Florida's 20th congressional district, where he received 0.7% of the vote.[5]
He believes that one of the biggest problems facing the nation is the growing political divide. Ter Maat thinks that, as a Libertarian, he is uniquely positioned to help bridge this gap and bring people together. He has expressed that his party's principles can contribute to reducing political tensions and fostering more unity.[6]
Ter Maat began his campaign for the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential nomination in June 2022. He won one primary, which was Pennsylvania.[7] At the 2024 Libertarian National Convention, he finished third out of ten candidates.[8]
After being eliminated from the presidential race, ter Maat endorsed Chase Oliver for president. Oliver then asked ter Maat to be his vice presidential running mate, and ter Maat accepted. He was unhappy with the Mises Caucus, which supported Michael Rectenwald for president.[9] In the vote for the vice presidential nomination, ter Maat received 51.3%, defeating Clint Russell, who got 47%.[10]
After working for the American Bankers Association and the White House, ter Maat wrote an article about e-cash in 1997. He's an economist who believes in less government involvement during recessions.[11]
In a debate with Emanuel Pastreich, a presidential candidate trying to become the Green Party of Alaska’s Presidential Nominee, ter Maat said that if the federal government collapses, it would cause worldwide financial problems.[12]
Ter Maat is the co-editor and author of: