Posted on 11/03/2010 10:41:10 AM PDT by WebFocus
Off the top of my (very groggy) head, I cannot think of too many cases where a Democrat lost a winnable race because of too many left-of-center votes drifting to a liberal third party, other than Ralph Nader’s role in the 2000 presidential election.
Last night, a withdrawn third-party bid ended up costing Republicans at least one key victory. I’m starting to think the New York 23rd district is cursed. Doug Hoffman, Conservative-party candidate, inspiring figure of 2009′s special election, made a remarkably mature decision to drop his Conservative bid this year and back the Republican, Matt Doheny. Last night, 6 percent of the district voted for Hoffman, even though he had withdrawn. Democrat Bill Owens is ahead by 2.4 percent.
In Oregon, Republican Chris Dudley is hanging on in the governor’s race; his 1.1 percent lead is less than the share of the vote that went to the Constitution-party candidate (1.4 percent) and the Libertarian-party candidate (1.3 percent).
Harry Reid will win reelection with 50.2 percent of the vote, but Sharron Angle only won 44.6 percent.
Tim Cahill cost Charlie Baker his shot at the Massachusetts governorship.
In Indiana, one of the cycle’s promising Republicans, Jackie Walorski, has fallen short by 1.4 percent while the Libertarian candidate took 5 percent.
Massachusetts Republicans are bummed this morning. In the 10th district, Democrat Bill Keating is going to win with a mere 46.9 percent of the vote.
In Rhode Island’s 1st district, a lot of Democrats worried about their man David Ciciline; he won 50.6 percent of the vote but is six points ahead of John Loughlin.
In Colorado’s governor’s race, we saw a strange reversal: the surprising 11 percent who backed Republican Dan Maes probably cost conservative independent Tom Tancredo a victory, or at least a chance to take Democrat John Hickenlooper down to the wire.
Late in this cycle, we saw desperate Democrats doing everything they could to promote little-known third-party options. Sometimes it didn’t work (Alan Grayson, Tom Perriello). But clearly the Democrats will go back to this option, time and again, until right-of-center voters realize that if you want to throw out an entrenched liberal Democrat incumbent, there is only one real option. Every vote has to be earned, but sometimes you have to be willing to take someone less than ideal if you want to throw a bum out.
Neither of you are listening. I will never vote for a RAT. But I won’t necessarily vote for a republican if the republican is also liberal.
I will find someone I can support and write in that name. So,
IF THE REPUBLICANS WANT MY VOTE, THEY BETTER RUN A CONSERVATIVE.
(and as for telling me to get involved, what I am doing now is getting uninvolved. Life is too short to be spending it in fruitless pursuits.)
I will find someone I can support and write in that name. So,
IF THE REPUBLICANS WANT MY VOTE, THEY BETTER RUN A CONSERVATIVE.
Talk about not listening.
Every one of those Republicans who lost last night because of third parties WERE CONSERVATIVE. Yet, you still prattle on in your little cone of silence about "RINOs" and "people who don't deserve your vote." If Jesse Kelly didn't deserve your vote, then you have some serious mental issues.
It's people like you - who get up on your little high horse and focus on the small minority of GOP candidates who are legitimately called RINOs while IGNORING the large majority who are solid conservative - who are the problem. If you can't even find it within yourself to support CONSERVATIVES when they are presented to you, but are so stupid as to allow the name "Republican" to cause you to erroneously assume that they "must be a librul," then you are a screaming argument for IQ testing as a means for screening out unfit voters.
--I agree that he was a domestic disaster but it is insignificant compared to the effect on the U.S. and the world in the longer view---
Really? The Republican lost solely because of the third-party candidate? Prove it.
I’m sorry, I assumed that you were capable of understanding arithmetic. My mistake!
I ended up getting stuck on this explanation how conservatives (like Bush and I presume you, from your argument) are essentially big-govt progressive Republicans that only want small govt a. where it pertains to what big-govt progressive Democrats want or b. when the big govt progressive Democrat gets the credit for it and Libertarians are more like true small govt thinkers.
Dont get mad, I'm conceding that you are right.
The two are different and I dont want nuttin' to do with what your kind believes.
How many times must people be reminded that this is fuzzy math?
You cannot assume that third-party votes go to one or the other of major-party candidate if the third-party candidate is not in the race. They may go to the candidate you don’t expect them to go, or they may not go to anyone, as the voter may stay home or skip that race on the ballot.
Thankfully, I never assumed you were capable of understanding cause and effect. Your previous post shows you think correlation is the same as causation.
Since the sun rises in the east and these Republicans lost, I'm surprised you're not blaming the sunrise for their losses.
3rd parties aren’t the problem.
what we need is “instant runnoff” voting.
You are as much of THE PROBLEM as the Dem voters who's grand parents voted for FDR and every DEM since no matter what so they do too. The GOP sometimes runs LIBERALS to the left of DEM's. Case in point Former Tennessee governor Don Sundquist 1995-2003. His replacement a DEM was far more fiscal conservative and stopped some rampant fraud. He didn't try to ram a state income tax down our throats every year either. He didn't even try it at all.
NOTHING is more important in elections than voting for the person because of where they stand on issue, how they previously voted on issues, and their honesty and integrity. If you want a lieing, thieving , Liberal. RINO go ahead and vote your straight ticket. Don't cry to me when he sells you out. YOU yes YOU Grandma gave him permission too do just that. You knew what was running and voted for the person anyway. That is most of what is wrong in this nation today. Thinking like yours got Harry Reid back in. The DEMs took your advice. Think about it. Signed A Grandpa.
How often do you find a Democrat who is more worthy of your vote than a Republican?
It is your way of thinking that allows him to get back into office because you do not believe there are differences in the two political parties.
Do you vote for Democrats?
Not often and sad to say I too often find neither party worthy of my vote period. Like yesterday in my states governors race. I voted Independent for a worthy Conservative and not the RINO whom had previously signed onto Mayors Daley and Bloombergs Mayors against guns program.. Now the rest of those running in my district including US House and my state senate and Legislature I was glad to vote for and they were Republicans.. All three won. On the state part one was a gain. Hopefully he'll hold the line against our newly elected RINO Governor..
My state has a strong GOP Conservative majority at the state capitol. Let's see if the newly elected GOP governor uses it wisely or is the DEM's useful more Big Government idiot like most of our previous GOP governors including Lamar Alexander have been.
I'll say this much. Knowing what I know norw I would have voted for a DEM named John Jay Hooker before I would have Sundquist a second term. I voted for Sundquist once because I just didn't know no better. Second term that RINO nearly bankrupted the state. Don't just take my word for it ask Any Tennessee Freeper.
The DEM's thinking they should vote straight party ticket no matter what got Harry elected now did it not? They knew what he had done now didn't they? But he was a DEM and Good Dem's should always vote DEM and good Republicans should always vote Republican. Right? If Republicans are supposed to vote GOP every time why shouldn't the DEM's then?
It is your way of thinking that allows him to get back into office because you do not believe there are differences in the two political parties.
Well Grandma Those GOP FOR BAILOUT VOTES including my current congressman who didn't run again and lost the GOP governor primary and a lot of other RINO's sure proved there ain't much difference in some of them now didn't it? That's the ones I will not vote for again ever.
Would you vote for Arlen Specter or a Conservative Independent if he was still GOP? What about Snowe or Collins? Or maybe Newt perhaps that disgusting see sawing what am I today a conservative or Nancy enabling moderate- liberal politician perhaps? Would I vote for Newt if he were the GOP POTUS primary winner? NEVER! I'll vote Independent if one suitable or I won't vote that office at all.
Do you vote for Democrats?
I have and I did during my counties general election during the summer. I voted for a DEM Sheriff. Why? Because he's doing his job properly and deserved a second term. METH Labs are getting popped right and left and that makes me very happy. The DEM judges whom I voted against who turn them back out however do not.
Depends on the party and the state.
In Massachusetts this year third party candidates who weren't especially conservative peeled off enough of the "discontented" vote to give Democrats a clean sweep.
Looks like something similar happened in Rhode Island.
LOL, sure.
However, you probably are right. My mistake is in assuming that the average Libertardian voter, if presented only with the choice between a big government, liberal Democrat and a small government, conservative Republican, would be smart enough to vote for the small government, conservative Republican.
Assuming third party voters will act rationally is probably not a sound assumption to make.
I have to admit, I haven’t yet found a third party that was worthy of my vote.
Don’t vote by party name as a requirement. Vote for the person on their own merrit. That is the long term answer to getting our nation back. I voted for this man yesterday over Bill Haslam for governor and have no regrets for doing so. http://carlwhitakerforgov.com/ His platform was far more conservative than the GOP. Actually there was a Republican in the GOP primaries I did support and that was Ramsey. The other two were congressman Zack {yes on bailouts Wamp} and Bill Haslam. Wamp and Ramsey lost the priimary. Wamp deserved to loose it.
I agree, x, it does depend on party and state.
But, as I wrote in my comment, the goal is a NATIONAL majority.
There will always be political blunders, bad luck and political reality to deal with.
But, my conviction is that Conservatism is intrinsically valid.
The proof?
In almost every race, a committed and politically competent Conservative will force his opponent - Republican or Democrat - to become more Conservative.
Rinos are socialists. They are Democrats. Like Mitty boy.
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