A Reno Gazette-Journal poll of 600 likely Nevada voters conducted August 18-20 (+/- 4%) has Libertarian Bob Barr at three percent in the presidential race, and independent Ralph Nader at two percent. Both candidates could impact the overall outcome, since Barack Obama leads John McCain by just one point, 44% to 43%.
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Too bad they did not include Baldwin in the polls, the Nevada affiliate of the CP (Independent American Party) is very strong. They run many candidates and have a large membership statewide. I am very interested in how Barr and Baldwin affect the polls.
Steve,
Effecting the debate and the outcome are fine. I have no problem with that. I’m saying that should stop being the goal. The goal should be to win the election. If, along the way, you can influence the outcome and the debate then so much the better. However that shouldn’t be the goal and it shouldn’t be how you define victory. At least in my humble opinion.
Barr and Baldwin should get nothing less than 5-10% in Nevada after the huge fiasco with the state GOP’s delegate selection and shutting down their own convention because it wasn’t going McCain’s way.
Barr is polling at 5% in Texas.
I have yet to see anything on that fact on IPR or Third Party Watch.
It’s here though: Bob Barr polling 5% in Texas
Nexus // Aug 22, 2008 at 8:56 am
Stop defining victory as effecting the outcome of an election . . .
Nexus, the LP ain’t anywhere near victory in the presidential contest. Effecting the outcome IS a goal . . . though not really a very positive one.
I believe that a positive goal would be to effect the tone, direction, and substance of the debate between the various positions of the role of government in various topics, with the libertarian position being generally discussed in a serious manner.
I know that some will think that this “goal” I’ve outlined is useless, but I would counter that even with the LP winning the presidency with a non-libertarian candidate (Barr!) is a failure for liberty. With Barr winning the presidency (fat chance!), it would be a success for conservative “values”, but not for liberty.
Look for the crooked bastards that run the state’s GOP to try and find a way to knock Barr of the ballot
Well-said Nexus, I couldn’t agree more.
I would really love to see the LP get away from this notion of kingmaker. Stop defining victory as effecting the outcome of an election and start defining it as accually winning the election. Settle for nothing less. Call a loss what it is, a loss. Fight to win and let the chips fall where they may.