In an abrupt turnaround, California Libertarians recently expressed their preference for Hollywood producer Aaron Russo to be the Libertarian Party nominee for president in 2004.

Russo, who according to some California LP officials gave a more impassioned speech than his opponents for the LP nomination for president, was preferred in a straw poll by 51 percent of the delegates to the annual state LP convention in San Jose on March 18 straw poll at the California LP annual convention in San Jose.

Radio talk show host Gary Nolan took 42 percent, while a third candidate -- Michael Badnarik, a computer consultant who teaches a course on the Constitution -- trailed with 7 percent.

These results distinctly contradicted the vote totals from the March 2 California Libertarian primary, where Nolan took 58 percent of the vote, followed by Russo with 24.7 percent and Badnarik with 16.5 percent.

Both the primary and the straw poll are non-binding; delegates to the Libertarian National Convention in Atlanta, Ga., on May 27-31 will select the party's candidate for president.

The California convention included a debate among -- and speeches by -- the three who were included in the straw poll. The speeches and roll call vote were filmed by PBS for an upcoming special on third-party candidates.

In addition to Badnarik, Nolan and Russo, there are three others running for the LP nomination: Jim Burns, Jeffrey Diket and Dave Hollist.