DENVER (AP)- The Libertarian Party to picked former Georgia
Republican Representative Bob Barr to be its presidential candidate
after six rounds of balloting.

Barr beat research scientist Mary Ruwart, who also sought the
party's presidential nomination unsuccessfully in 1983, on the
final ballot. The vote was 324-276.

Barr endorsed Wayne Allyn Root, who was eliminated in the fifth
round, to be his vice-presidential nominee.

Barr left the GOP in 2006 over what he called bloated spending and civil liberties intrusions by the Bush administration.

The former Georgia congressman said he's not in the race to be a
spoiler.

"I'm a competitor and I'm in this to win," Barr said. "I do not view the role of the Libertarian Party to be a spoiler and I certainly have no intention of being a spoiler.''

Barr said he expects the party to be on the ballot in at least 48 states and perhaps all 50 if the party can qualify in West Virginia and Oklahoma. Barr said he also expects to be invited to the national political debates by qualifying with poll support of 15 percent or more of registered voters.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)