Austin Petersen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Austin Petersen
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Petersen in 2018
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Austin Wade Petersen
February 19, 1981 Independence, Missouri, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Southwest Missouri State University |
| Occupation | Political activist, radio show host, writer, publisher, political commentator, film and television producer |
| Political party | Republican (2017–present) Libertarian (before 2017) |
| Spouse(s) |
Stephanie Cole
(m. 2021) |
Austin Wade Petersen, born on February 19, 1981, is an American writer and political activist. He is also a commentator and a broadcaster. He hosts a daily news show called Wake Up America. In 2016, he ran for president as a member of the Libertarian Party. He came in second place, getting 21.9% of the votes.
Later, on August 7, 2018, he ran for the U.S. Senate in Missouri. He finished third in the Republican primary election.
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Early Life and Education
Austin Petersen grew up on a farm in Peculiar, Missouri. His parents are Donna and John D. Petersen. He went to Southwest Missouri State University. There, he earned a degree in musical theater.
Career Journey
Starting Out
Early in his career, Petersen worked as a model. He also demonstrated products at a toy store called FAO Schwarz. He even appeared briefly on a TV show called Late Night with Conan O'Brien during a sketch filmed at the store.
In 2008, Petersen started working with the Libertarian National Committee. He also helped with the presidential campaigns of Ron Paul in 2008 and 2012. Ron Paul was a U.S. Representative from Texas.
Petersen was an associate producer for the TV show Freedom Watch with Judge Napolitano. This show was on Fox Business from 2010 to 2012. After that, he worked as a director at FreedomWorks, a group that supports conservative ideas. He was also a frequent guest on the TV show The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann.
In 2014, Petersen was an executive producer for the film Alongside Night. This movie was based on a book and promoted a political idea called agorism. Some well-known Libertarian figures, like Ron Paul, were in the film.
After the 2016 Election
By 2018, Austin Petersen was the owner and CEO of a company called Stonegait LLC. This company helps with photos and videos. He also started two websites, The Libertarian Republic and Liberty Viral. These websites share news and opinions about libertarian ideas.
In 2018, he ran for the United States Senate as a Republican in Missouri. However, he lost in the primary election to Josh Hawley. In 2019, Petersen became the host of the KWOS Morning Show. He later left that show in September 2022 to host the Wake Up America show.
Running for President in 2016
In 2015, Austin Petersen announced he would run for president. He wanted to get the Libertarian Party's nomination. He lived in Kansas City, Missouri, at the time.
Petersen said he was like the Bernie Sanders of the Libertarian Party. This was because he raised money from many regular people, not just big donors. After Ted Cruz stopped his campaign for the Republican nomination, Petersen got support from some important political commentators. In many polls, he was one of the top three choices for his party's nomination.
On May 29, 2016, at the Libertarian National Convention, Petersen lost the nomination. Gary Johnson won, and Petersen came in second place. Petersen congratulated Johnson and even gave him a replica of George Washington's pistol. Petersen later supported Johnson for president.
Running for Senate in 2018
In June 2017, Austin Petersen started thinking about running for the U.S. Senate in Missouri. On July 4, 2017, he officially announced he would seek the Republican nomination.
Before the primary election in August, President Donald Trump supported Petersen's opponent, Josh Hawley. Trump even campaigned for Hawley. Petersen was not happy about Trump getting involved in the primary. In the August 7 primary election, Petersen came in third place. He received 8.3% of the votes.
What Austin Petersen Believes
Austin Petersen is against the death penalty. He also does not support the War on Drugs. When it comes to money and business, he believes in a free-market capitalist approach. This means he thinks the government should not control businesses too much.
About His Life
Austin Petersen has said that he is an agnostic or an atheist. He grew up as a Christian. However, in a 2016 interview, he shared that his mother's death changed his religious views. He said his mother was harmed by a pharmacist who made her medicine weaker. This made him lose his faith.
Petersen lives in Jefferson City, Missouri. He married Stephanie Renee Cole on October 23, 2021.
Film and TV Work
- Alongside Night (2014) – Executive Producer
- Freedom Watch with Judge Napolitano (2010–12, 19 episodes) – Associate Producer
See also
- Libertarian Party presidential primaries, 2016
- United States presidential election in Missouri, 2016
- United States Senate election in Missouri, 2018
- Stossel Libertarian presidential forum, 2016
