Career
He has run unsuccessfully for a number of local, state, and federal offices. In 2008, it was thought that his candidacy might act as a spoiler in what was expected to be a close United States. Senate race. In 1996, Cole unsuccessfully ran as a Libertarian for a seat in the North Carolina General Assembly against Jim Black in House District 36.
He was the first openly gay candidate to run for the General Assembly.
In 2001, Cole sought election to the District 4 seat on the Charlotte City Council, challenging incumbent Malcolm Graham. Graham was re-elected, with 6,976 votes to Cole"s 762.
In 2002, Cole ran for the United States. Congress in North Carolina"s 9th congressional district. In that race, Republican Sue Myrick was re-elected with 72.4% of the vote to Democrat Editor McGuire"s 25.8%.
Cole received 3,374 votes, or 1.74%.
The four winners received from 36,743 to 41,661 votes. After Cole, the worst-performing candidate received 24,468. Cole was the Libertarian candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2004 election.
Cole received 56,368 votes, or 1.66%.
In 2008, Cole ran for the United States. Senate seat held by Republican Elizabeth Dole. When he entered the race, the Libertarian Party was not officially recognized by the state.
Rather than going through a primary, he had to secure signatures on a petition. Cole"s platform included ending the Iraq War and abolishing the personal income tax
While Dole and Democratic challenger Kay Hagan insisted on the need for border security to deal with illegal immigration, Cole ascribed the problem to the minimum-wage law and other labor restrictions.
The race between Dole and Hagan was expected to be close, and it was suggested that Cole might influence the outcome by taking a small but significant share of votes from one of the major-party candidates. An August poll conducted by Public Policy Polling showed 42% of respondents supporting Hagan to 39% for Dole. Cole was the choice of 5%.
Another survey indicated that Cole was drawing support of 6–7%.
In late October, a new Public Policy Polling survey showed Hagan leading Dole 48–45%, with Cole chosen by 4%. According to Cole, his candidacy would draw support from both the Republican and the Democrat, although slightly more from the former: fiscal conservatives dissatisfied with the Bush administration would choose him over Dole, while voters alienated by Hagan"s opposition to same-sex marriage and by what Cole called her "immigrant-bashing" might transfer their support to him.
When the election was held, the race proved much less close than expected. Hagan defeated Dole with 52.65% of the vote to 44.18%.
Cole received 133,430 votes, or 3.12%.
