Posted on 11/08/2006 2:10:11 PM PST by rond
Jim Talent's loss wasn't so much a slam-dunk by the Democrats.
Talent WON in 2002 with 49.8 percent of the vote, to Jean Carnahan's 48.7 percent.
Talent LOST in 2006 with 47.4 percent of the vote, to McCaskill's 49.4 percent.
The Dem gains .7 percent; Talent loses 2.4 percent.
A glaring difference: The Libertarian candidate went from 1 percent in 2002 to 2.3 percent in 2006.
Libertarian gains were more pronounced in southwest Missouri's 7th District:
•In Lawrence County, McCaskill pulled 35.2 percent -- exactly as much as Carnahan in 2002. But Talent's share dwindled from 62.2 percent to 59.7 percent. The Libertarian candidate received 1.9 percent in 2002 and 3.9 percent in 2006.
•In Polk County (home to Southwest Baptist University), Talent defeated Carnahan in 2002, 62.4-35.5 percent. This year, Talent was held to under 60 percent -- 58.7-36.5, with the Libertarian share growing from 1.4 to 3.8 percent.
•In Taney County, Talent went from a 64.3-33.9 split in 2002 to a 60.6-34.8 victory in 2006. The Libertarian vote grew to 3.4 percent, from 1.3 percent in 2002.
•In Christian County, Talent lost more than 3 percent of his support (63.6 in 2002, 60.5 in 2006). The Democratic share grew only slightly, from 34.6 to 35.3 percent. But the Libertarian vote more than doubled, from 1.2 to 3.1 percent.
•In Barry County, Talent was held under 60 percent (59.2, from a high of 63.3 percent in 2002). Dems inched up from 34.8 to 35.5 percent. Libertarians increased their share from 1.4 to 3.9 percent.
In all five counties, Democrats didn't grow their share by more than a point.
And like always Libertarians suck.
I'm guessing he would have lost anyway.
" A glaring difference: The Libertarian candidate went from 1 percent in 2002 to 2.3 percent in 2006."
Talent defeated Talent
Or perhaps they are libertarians who voted for the person they wanted to win.
I'll take people who believe in smaller limited government, which is fine, but who will get votes in close elections therefore putting Socialists and Communist in power, Alex.
Who are Libertarians?
Libertarian = Republican Green Party ;-)
They are people who want no government interference with their sex lives and pot smoking.
Wait a minute...I thought Libertarians only get .0001% of the vote anyway.
"Who are Libertarians?"
the a-holes who just gave the congress to the lib/dems!!!
" Or perhaps they are libertarians who voted for the person they wanted to win."
In my opinion, people who vote Libertarian would be better served to pick one of the major parties and try to influence its platform. Voting for a third party candidate most often gives the election to the candidate who is the polar opposite of your ideals.
And libertarians probably think the same about republicans.
They're an antiwar party. They probably would have voted democrat if there wasn't one of their own on the ballot.
Time for some self responsibility, I think.
That's a laugher.
LOL.
Yep! That's why my pot smoking transsexual brother is a Libertarian... /And YES I'm serious
For all the encouragement we (as Repubs) got via talk radio, I don't believe many people were as energized as Hannity, Rush, Hewitt, etc. liked to claim.
I worked closely with my local GOP campaign headquarters, and we could not get thousands and thousands of normally reliable GOP voters to come out an vote.
They simply gave an excuse, or refused, or said they were upset with the national GOP.
Unfortunately, it cost many a local conservative Repub candidates their office.
Unfortunately, not as much as the democrats and republicans, which is why there is such a thing as a libertarian in the first place. 
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.