Ed Crane, an American libertarian activist and co-founder of the Cato Institute, died on February 10, 2026.
He was 81. Crane, whose full name was Edward Harrison Crane, served as president of the Cato Institute until October 2012.
In the 1970s, he was among the most active leaders in the Libertarian Party, serving as national chair from 1974 to 1977. He also worked on John Hospers’s presidential bid and managed Ed Clark’s 1978 campaign for governor of California. In 1980, Crane served as communications director to the Libertarian Party presidential ticket of Clark and David H. Koch.
Edward Harrison Crane (August 15, 1944 – February 10, 2026) was an American libertarian activist who co-founded the Cato Institute, serving as the organization’s president until October 2012.