from my blog, Basie!
Gannett News Service runs a highly informative piece on the state of the Presidential race in its papers across the country today. Carl Weiser writes under the headline "Minor party candidates could affect tight election" that... well, just that: minor party candidates could affect a tight election. This Ohio-centric feature comes from the Zanesville Times Recorder in Central Ohio. Weiser leads thusly:
Mike Martini describes himself as a pro-gun, pro-life and pro-smaller government conservative. So his presidential choice, he says, is clear.
Michael Peroutka.
Who?
Peroutka, a Maryland lawyer, is the presidential candidate for the Constitution Party. He'll appear on Ohio presidential ballots Nov. 2.
So will Michael Badnarik, a Texas computer consultant who is the presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party.
He continues:
Badnarik and Peroutka supporters say they could matter -- especially because they tend to draw people from President Bush.
Peroutka's slogan is "God, Family, Republic." He calls for pulling troops out of Iraq, ending abortion, basing government on biblical principles and deporting all illegal aliens. On his Web site, he pledges to "stand up against the entrenched socialists, elitists and globalists who currently have a stranglehold on American political power."
Like Peroutka, Libertarian Badnarik also supports pulling troops out of Iraq. He favors gay marriage, free trade and opening the borders to immigrants as long as they are not terrorists or criminals. His slogan: "Lighting the Fires of Liberty."
Martini, a former Republican and Bush voter in 2000, said he's disgusted with what he calls an unconstitutional war in Iraq, the growth of the federal government, the Patriot Act and Bush's support of the United Nations.
"I think Mr. Peroutka could have a huge impact in Ohio," said Martini, a 43-year-old engineer from suburban Cincinnati. "I think a lot of Ohioans are searching for a candidate that better reflects their views and positions on the issues but have no choice but to pick between the two evils known as Bush and Kerry."
This article is dead on in its analysis of this election. Although pundits and editorialists (and unfortunately reporters) constantly focus on Ralph Nader--who is only on about half of the state ballots--Badnarik and Peroutka could affect the race just as profoundly as the consumer advocate (if not more) as they will both appear on more than half of the state's ballots.
As I wrote in July, the two minor party candidates on the right have a real chance at swinging this election for John Kerry and thus claiming a right to appear on the center stage of American politics. In fact, in John Zogby's most recent poll Badnarik's 1.2% support is statistically the same as the 1.4% for Nader. As a result, though you may continue to fret that Ralph Nader could once again cause the Democrats to lose the election, if Badnarik and Peroutka remain strong through the remainder of the campaign season, George W. Bush and his handlers will have much more to worry that Senator Kerry's cadre.
check out my political blog, Basie!