Following an unsuccessful bid in 1998 for the Republican nomination for the congressional seat in California 's 46th congressional district , Gray left the Republican Party and joined the Libertarian Party . In 2003 , he openly contemplated becoming a candidate for the 2004 Libertarian presidential nomination , but later decided to run for the U.S. Senate instead . In November 2003 , he declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Barbara Boxer in California . Gray was a keynote speaker at the 2004 Libertarian National Convention . In March 2004 Gray defeated former Libertarian Party of California chair Gail Lightfoot in a statewide primary for the party 's nomination for U.S. Senate . Gray suspended his judicial activities while running for the Senate against incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer and Republican Bill Jones . Gray received 216,522 votes , 1.8 % of the total vote , finishing behind Boxer , Jones , and Peace and Freedom Party candidate Marsha Feinland
2004 Libertarian National Convention
2004 Libertarian National Convention
James P. Gray