Richard Campagna

Campagna was born in New York City, and grew up in the Midwood section of Brooklyn.[2]

Campagna has degrees from Brown University (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), St. John's University (J.D.), and Columbia University (M.A.), and a PhD from the American College of Metaphysical Theology. After graduation from Saint John's, he worked as lead counsel for the Motion Picture Association under movie mogul Jack Valenti. In addition to working as a lawyer, Campagna has been a psychologist, interpreter, college professor, and briefly owned and operated a specialty travel agency. He now works as a businessman, consultant, and attorney,

In 2002, Campagna ran on the Libertarian Party ticket for lieutenant governor of Iowa with gubernatorial candidate Clyde Cleveland. Together they placed fourth, receiving 13,098 votes, 1.3% of the total votes cast.

In mid-2003, Campagna became the first candidate to enter the race for the Libertarian Party's vice-presidential nomination (the Libertarian party chooses its presidential and vice-presidential nominees in convention on separate ballots). He defeated his closest competitor, Missouri libertarian Tamara Millay, on the first ballot at the May 2004 Libertarian National Convention, which selected Michael Badnarik as the Libertarian Party presidential nominee. The ticket of Badnarik and Campagna placed fourth in the 2004 presidential election, receiving just under 400,000 votes nationwide and no electoral votes.

Campagna lives in Iowa with his wife, Odalys. He is an active proponent of existentialism.

• Biography by the Libertarian Party of Iowa