11 responses so far ↓

• 1 d.eris // Feb 4, 2010 at 12:30 pm

  There was only 5.8% voter turnout in this race! If the Tweedle campaign had successfully garnered the support of just 1 in 20 registered voters she would have won. From a number of her statements over the course of the race, it didn’t seem like she was “in it to win it” so to speak, but rather sought at the most to “influence the conversation” or something along those lines.

• 2 Paulie // Feb 4, 2010 at 12:35 pm

  If the Tweedle campaign had successfully garnered the support of just 1 in 20 registered voters she would have won.

  That assumes the other candidate in the race would not have then mobilized supporters to come out to vote.

• 3 d.eris // Feb 4, 2010 at 1:25 pm

  True, but the Republican candidate Ayres’ campaign seemed to be treating the election as a mere formality following her selection by the local GOP politburo and the Democrat’s withdrawal. Tweedle would have had the element of surprise.

• 4 Gary // Feb 4, 2010 at 1:38 pm

  100% guarantee – If you do not try you will lose.

  The Libertarian Party should try something called campaigning. Stand at factory gates greeting workers, shopping centers, door knocking, mailings. You might even win an election if you try.

• 5 paulie // Feb 4, 2010 at 1:42 pm

  Ayres’ campaign seemed to be treating the election as a mere formality following her selection by the local GOP politburo and the Democrat’s withdrawal.

  My point exactly. If the Libertarian started making waves, the Republicans could have quickly mobilized their voters without too much effort.

• 6 Morgan Brykein // Feb 4, 2010 at 1:54 pm

  This is typical of races between a candidate of one of the two major parties, and a third party candidate. The former will almost always win because most voters look at their ballot and wonder “What’s a Libertarian?”

• 7 AroundtheblockAFT // Feb 4, 2010 at 2:12 pm

  Unfortunately, the upside to spending a lot of time campaigning in these kinds of races will still be defeat at the hands of the dominant party.
  Not many candidates want to “waste” their time and treasure BUT that’s what it will take over a long period of time to acquaint the voters with libertarian positions.

• 8 Don Lake .......... I think // Feb 4, 2010 at 2:24 pm

  different parts of the nation or even within a specific region are different. As a former Kansan/ Missourian/ Heartlander I can attest that the local establishment is strictly Democan and Republicrat!

• 9 Nate // Feb 5, 2010 at 5:48 am

  More interesting was the special election in state district 57: http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/allresults.asp?eid=262

  Independent Karla May got 44% of the vote in a two-way race against a Democrat.

  Someone might want to check out Karla May, see what sort of independent she is.

• 10 Starchild // Feb 6, 2010 at 5:00 am

  Gary @4 writes,

  “The Libertarian Party should try something called campaigning. Stand at factory gates greeting workers, shopping centers, door knocking, mailings. You might even win an election if you try.”

  I’m running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors — if you happen to live in the area, I would welcome your help with my campaign. I’d be willing to go out with you and meet & greet the public, knock on doors, etc. It would be nice to have some volunteers with your enthusiasm to do this stuff, because it’s a bit of a downer doing it on your own.

  If you don’t live in the San Francisco area, I encourage you to contact the state or local Libertarian organization where you live, and find out what candidates may be running who could use your help.

• 11 Don Lake .......... I think // Feb 6, 2010 at 6:10 am

  it was 1993, when, as a non libertarian, I made smart alec remarks on empty Lib chairs at candidate forums.

  More than one person informed me that the biggest [and only worth while] forum was the ballot on election day …………

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