Barr announces Libertarian presidential bid

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr said on Monday that he will run for president as a Libertarian, a development that could pull some votes from Republican candidate John McCain.

Barr said neither McCain nor Barack Obama, the Democratic frontrunner, would rein in a government that he said has grown too powerful after the September 11 attacks.

"A vote for the status quo ... is really and truly a wasted vote, because it is not going to do anything," Barr said.

As a Georgia congressman between 1995 and 2003, Barr was a stalwart conservative and one of the leaders of the impeachment of Democratic President Bill Clinton.

But Barr has broken with the Bush administration in recent years over its domestic surveillance program and what he called its abuse of due process rights.

Barr's run on the Libertarian ticket could complicate things ahead of the November election for McCain, who has struggled to unite some conservatives behind his candidacy.

Roughly one-quarter of those voting in last week's Republican nominating contests in Indiana and North Carolina cast their ballots for candidates other than McCain. And libertarian-leaning Republican candidate Ron Paul has not formally withdrawn from the race.

Barr said several members of his former party have asked him not to run.