Third Party Candidates

(Newser) - Third-party candidates across the nations are highly unlikely to siphon off anywhere near a significant number of votes this election day, Time reports. Libertarian Bob Barr is polling around 1%—down from a peak of 6% in the summer—with Ralph Nader faring the same. The longshot candidates say their goal is not to act as spoilers, but to make discontent heard and to reform the electoral process. More »

(Newser) - Third-party candidates haven’t won much attention in this election, but in some hotly contested states their candidacies could still affect the outcome, the Boston Globe reports. Independent Ralph Nader and Libertarian Bob Barr could play a role in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and Ohio, among others, the paper reports—even if they draw votes only from hardcore backers who wouldn’t vote for anyone else. More »

(Newser) - Voters in most states in the US will see Ralph Nader and Bob Barr on the presidential ballot, Politico reports. Nader made it in 45 states and the District of Columbia, though the independent missed Texas. Barr’s Libertarian bid made the ballot in 44 states. The two combined for about 3.3% in recent polls—enough to make both major parties nervous. More »

(Newser) - When Ron Paul convened a coalition of third-party candidates yesterday and endorsed them all, he dashed Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr’s hopes of a solo Paul endorsement, writes Dana Milbank in the Washington Post . So Barr staged a separate press conference, where he announced that he’s not here to make friends. More »

(Newser) - One of Barack Obama’s election opponents is putting his millions where his grades are. Wayne Allyn Root, the Las Vegas handicapper running for vice president on the Libertarian ticket with Bob Barr, has bet $1 million that he had a better GPA at Columbia University than classmate Obama. Root goes on to say in a Reason interview that Obama was a “communist” who was admitted to Harvard Law School only because he’s black. More »

(Newser) - "Ronvoys" have begun converging on Minneapolis, where Ron Paul supporters plan to gather in a convention near to, but separate from, the Republican hullaboo in St. Paul. Nearly 10,000 anti-war, anti-taxes, anti-big-government, and pro-personal-liberties revelers plan to attend the Rally for the Republic, otherwise known as Ronstock '08, the AP reports. More »

(Newser) - Though still far on the periphery of the American political scene, the Libertarian Party stands to reach unprecedented visibility with its nomination of former Republican congressman Bob Barr, writes David Weigel in Reason . By picking its "most well-known and politically astute" candidate—and one who doesn’t compromise its radical mission—the party might actually force people to pay attention come November, he argues. More »

(Newser) - Bob Barr’s former GOP colleagues have been beseeching the Libertarian Party presidential nominee not to run against John McCain. “Please don’t do it,” Barr happily recounts being told. They fear he could do to McCain what Nader did to Gore in states such as Georgia, Alaska, and Colorado, the New York Times reports. But those prospects are anything but certain.