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.
Libertarians always hold the Democrats water for them, either by choice or through their stupidity.
Some might like Perot to punish Bush 41 and thereby we all get Clinton.
Then we all suffer for eight years.
Voting for our own "favorite person" therefore may not be best if we want to avoid suffering another Clinton type.
I think a major reason he lost can be blamed on the attack ads he approved on Claire McCaskill. They were played constantly and really turned people off. I know politics are rough, but it is tricky for male candidates to attack female candidates without alienating both men and women voters. Her attack ads on him were mainly about him losing touch with the voters, voting against the minium wage while taking his pay increases.
I mentioned this on another thread--McCaskill ran ads at the end of the campaign stressing how tough she will be on illegal immigration. She favors a fence, stiff employer penalties and no amnesty. Rural parts of Missouri, including my small town, as well as the Springfield area have had a large influx of immigrants in the past few years and this undoubtedly struck a chord.
I'm a biker. I got permission and posted signs all over before the elections through the years in icy wind and rain. I've slept on the bike in gas stations and on the side of the road after numerous trips to talk to people. I'm also a member of the SATF.
Signs outside a polling place don't do squat. Folks show up at the pollling place already knowing who they are going to vote for. If they don't know who they're going to vote, they certainly ain't going to move their butts to a polling place.
I blame Talent, not the NRA. You seem to think the NRA did nothing, when they in fact did. The NRA isn't working for Talent. Talent and his talent were and they both let the NRA down, not the other way around.
I understand what you are saying, I am just pointing out that not everyone who votes libertarian is just trying to punish the GOP. A lot of them actually ARE libertarian and hate the GOP for the war, the drug war, and gay marriage, even if they otherwise with the GOP on taxes.
They have become impotent and I will just continue to ride MY BIKE, hunt, fish, etc. and save my money for ammo. instead of sending it to the NRA for a bunch of beaurocrats salaries.
My bad, sorry.
Whatever, you're simply dead wrong. Typical of you GOP worshippers, you sound like Rats when you complain about Libertarians.
I recall reading on their website that one of their folks did win an office three-four years ago. I think it was for a school board seat...the voters must of thought he was a "Librarian".
Would you say the same about the Log Cabin Republicans and moderate Republicans?
Republicans are REPUBLICANS; Libertarians aren't Republicans. Ergo, your specious, snarky reply is ridiculous at best.
they should stop claiming to be "Conservatives", when they aren't. They should stop pretending that they belong/fit in here
They have every right to run but we don't expect conservatives to vote for them.
I agree. We need a conservative George Soros to buy NBC or ABC, bring in Roger Ailes to purge the newsroom and staff from top to bottom, install Brett Hume in the anchor and give him free rein to bring balance to the Drive-By-Media.
I don't think any conservatives voted for them.
You might have had some Republicans voting for them who have libertarian leanings, as we had in CD22, who voted for the Libertarian candidate.
I wish that libertarians (like Smithers) would go the route that Ron Paul did, become Republicans, so they could get elected and not just be spoilers.
Absolutely, or require that a winning candidate have a majority of the vote to win.
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