The Libertarian candidate for Governor of Virginia, Rob Sarvis, is doing so well he was covered by the Washington Post. Sarvis is consistently polling 10% or higher and 20% in some parts of the state. While the article contains some of the usual “wasting your vote” references, it treats Sarvis fairly well compared to how third-party candidates are usually dismissed.
The Post included a reference to Sarvis receiving a substantial contribution from Jean Case, the wife of AOL’s Steve Case. There was an excellent quote from Sarvis with the libertarian message:
[S]tudents cheered when Sarvis told them that he understands the economy “certainly better” than Cuccinelli and McAuliffe. Former convicts, he said, should be allowed to vote, and no one should go to prison for a “mere marijuana offense,” a statement that elicited at least one high-pitched hoot from the rear of the darkened auditorium.
“I want to return to the idea that you are free to run your life,” Sarvis said. Afterward, more than two-dozen students surrounded him, passing around the candidate’s phone as they typed their names and numbers to sign up as volunteers.
The Post recognized the libertarian’s strong credentials – Harvard grad, graduate degree from Cambridge (in England), law degree from a top school, started his own business, and another graduate degree (in Economics).
Of course the article did include the typical anti-third-party language, but from an identified and obviously biased source:
Chris LaCivita, Cuccinelli’s chief strategist, …
As for whether the Libertarian’s candidacy is a problem for Cuccinelli, LaCivita said that a vote for Sarvis is “a vote for Terry McAuliffe.”
“Voting for Sarvis is essentially throwing your vote away,” LaCivita said.
As stated elsewhere, RCP has polls with Sarvis and without Sarvis, and either way McAuliffe beats Cucinelli by about exactly the same margin. The “spoiler” thing is a red herring.
My evidence is that LP and Green candidates on the whole draw equally from all groups but also bring non-voters or undecideds in. So this may look like he ‘takes’ votes from someone, but actually he is bringing in new voters.
This is a generality and of course varies with each case somewhat. I would not rush to assume any LP candidate is ‘taking’ from another, though, as the article seems to do.
Best of luck to this candidate.
Sarvis is doing very well, running a great campaign here in VA. I urge everyone to make a donation to his campaign.
I really hope and pray that this is not a fluke, so we can prove all the pundits and critics wrong on Election Day! Even though I don’t consider myself a Libertarian per se, this could be a major milestone not just for the LP, but for all third parties overall.
Thanks Warren for posting about a positive trend for a Libertarian candidate. I also like the new IPR site design.
Check out the choice words that this Democratic politico had for Robert Sarvis:
“Their top line [poll] numbers – 42 for McAuliffe, 37 for Cuccinelli and 8 for the joke candidacy of Libertarian Robert Sarvis – are in line with other surveys…Terry MAC is basically the other major party candidate on the ballot, with Sarvis the other-other guy on the ballot in case you want to vote for Governor as a (1) protest the nation’s drug policies, (2) a protest both major political parties or (3) a VA Republican who wants to protest his own party’s GUV guy.”
http://wtvr.com/2013/10/04/goldman-why-the-hampton-university-guv-poll-is-best/