Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think this should be something that we can all agree on...whether you are a Libertarian or not. I think it is a great thing that Richard Sarvis in Virgina is polling at 10%. VA is a major political state and it is a great thing that a third party candidate is polling so well there. Granted, Sarvis is going to cause the guy from my party to lose...I still think it is a great thing for national politics. Hypothetically...If a strong Green Party candidate also existed in Virginia...this could end up being a historically close race with for a major Governer's seat.
Maybe others won't feel the same way, but I think it's pretty awesome that the Libertarian Party has consistently polled over 10% and I hope it is telling of their upcoming successes.
And to show my objectivity...I would feel the same way if the Green Party, or the Socialist Party, or the Constitution Party, or the Whoever party did well also......It would be a great thing to see a few more choices out there.
The question is, can he hold 10% of the vote. Too often you see third party candidates poll better than their voter turnout percentage.
correct. if the third party candidate can hit the poll numbers on election day, then we can talk about having some success. until then though, not so much.
correct. if the third party candidate can hit the poll numbers on election day, then we can talk about having some success. until then though, not so much.
I've never even seen a third party poll this high......is it that common?
I follow elections fairly closely and this is the highest I can remember a third party polling.
If the Libertarians get10% of the vote,then that reduces some legal barriers for ballot access inthe next several elections. I'm seroiusly conzidering casting my vote for Sarvis instead of McAuliffe.
I've never even seen a third party poll this high......is it that common?
I follow elections fairly closely and this is the highest I can remember a third party polling.
Well, there was Jesse Ventura of Minnesota's Independence Party (then aligned with Ross Perot's Reform Party), who won the Governorship in 1998 with 37% of the vote.
Speaking of Perot, he won 19% of the Presidential vote in 1992.
More recently, in 2010 Tom Tancredo (former Republican, running under the American Constitution label) got 39% of the gubernatorial vote, finishing in second place. Also that year, Tom Horner in Minnesota (Independence Party) got 12% of the vote in the Governor's race.
But we're still a two-party system, where the occasional third-party success (or, more often, a failure that is called impressive because it's less of a failure than usual for third parties) simply doesn't lead anywhere in the long run.
I've never even seen a third party poll this high......is it that common?
I follow elections fairly closely and this is the highest I can remember a third party polling.
its not common per say, but it does happen i various places in the country. for instance there are two independents in the senate, though they tend to caucus with the democrats. right now green party candidates are too far left for democrats, which is why their party doesnt poll well, but there are some in elected office around the country, same with libertarians and independents. but overall they are a handful compared to republicans and democrats.
in the end one of two things is going to happen, the republican party is going to become such a pariah that people will leave in droves and start a third party, thats what happened to the whig party in the 1850s, that will ultimately replace the republican party. or two, the republican party will remake itself and come out stronger in either 2014 or 2016. either way its oddly enough the democrats that will force those scenarios on the country.
Status:
"On the road with Kid Charlamagne"
(set 11 days ago)
8,018 posts, read 5,814,408 times
Reputation: 9662
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unsettomati
But we're still a two-party system, where the occasional third-party success (or, more often, a failure that is called impressive because it's less of a failure than usual for third parties) simply doesn't lead anywhere in the long run.
We need to fix this, because the two parties we have in power right now are damaged beyond repair.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
