The guy won't do it. This is bluster. Unless he wants the world to come crashing down on his head...
I think there was another similar one in the 2000 Gore War.
The best way to prevent this is to not choose jackasses like this as electors.
Third posting today of a month old story.
It doesn't matter, even if he does make a "protest vote" for some other candidate than Bush, as long as it isn't for Kerry, which he already said he would NOT do.
Think about some possible scenarios:
[A] Kerry 269, Bush 268, Protest vote 1
[B] Bush 269, Kerry 268, Protest vote 1
[C] Kerry 270, Bush 267, Protest vote 1
In Scenario C, Kerry wins, even if Bush would've had 268 electoral votes.
In Scenarios A and B, the protest vote does not affect the outcome, because the House of Representatives decides the election if any one candidate fails to receive a majority of the electoral votes (i.e. 270 or higher) NOT just if it is a tie.
But, how many people really think the election is going to be this close anyway? Down to one or two electoral votes? Somehow I doubt it.
"a moderate Republican who has a reputation of being a maverick in the state party"
Translated: a John McCain style publicity hound who falls into line once his ego placated.
Twit. He knows that to stay Mayor and to pursue any further political career he'd better do what's expected or it's over for him.
They get confused.
Unless he votes for Kerry, it won't matter. If it ends up tied at 269, no one will have a majority, even if hundreds of Bush electors go off the reservation. It goes into the House, no matter what.