PPP: Third Party candidate on Right could be viable in 2012

[bobbyw24]

Here we go again--Divide and Conquer

If someone mad about Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty or Mitch Daniels getting nominated ran to their right and pulled even just 3-5% in the general election that would probably scuttle just about any GOP hopes of knocking off Barack Obama. And a fair number of their folks are at least open to the possibility of doing that. It could be a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation for Republicans- nominate someone too far right and lose the independents or nominate someone too centrist and lose some of your own folks to a third party. How the party handles that dynamic may prove to be the biggest story of the 2012 cycle.

Summary:

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/01/looking-at-third-party-dynamic-for-2012.html

[sailingaway]

They are a Dem polling company that has been trying to inspire Ron to run independent all year. They kept polling him with independents during Rand's campaign and reporting how he does better with independents than any other candidate. We need independents to register (or in many cases RE-register) GOP. Now they are suggesting someone running to the right of Romney would lose independents. Bachmann, maybe, but from the polls, clearly Ron would do the OPPOSITE. But there is still the debate issue and the 'third parties can't win' issue. I'm not suggesting he do it.

[speciallyblend]

bottom line is if the gop doesn't nominate Ron Paul. I reallydo not expect the gop to defeat obama with the gop line up they have unless it is Ron paul or Gary Johnson. who is to blame for this?/ the GOP of course , live or let die!!!

[erowe1]

bottom line is if the gop doesn't nominate Ron Paul. I reallydo not expect the gop to defeat obama with the gop line up they have unless it is Ron paul or Gary Johnson. who is to blame for this?/ the GOP of course , live or let die!!!

If we did win RP a GOP nomination, then I would expect there to be a major 3rd party or independent center-right candidate who would pull a lot more than 5%.

[speciallyblend]

If we did win RP a GOP nomination, then I would expect there to be a major 3rd party or independent center-right candidate who would pull a lot more than 5%.

and i am sure it would be backed by the gop establishment!

[puppetmaster]

gop will not get my vote unless a Paul is on the ticket

[Agorism]

Chuck Baldwin was a good third party contender. I am willing to bet the Constitution party puts forward another good candidate.

[Matt Collins]

I think NC and IN and maybe MT went to Obama this year. The difference between Obama and McCain in those states was smaller than the amount that Bob Barr received.

[McBell]

And we care about the GOP winning if the candidate isn't Ron (or Gary Johnson or whatever other liberty candidate)...why?

[cindy25]

a well financed anti-war, anti-bailout candidate could win some states, force it to the house-and either win or come out as VP as part of a deal
if its just the socialist vs the fascist, I prefer the socialist.

[MN Patriot]

The time is right for a viable, competent third party to come along and replace the Republican Party. I've been saying that for some time now, but the Tea Party movement really should turn into a third party that isn't controlled by the Establishment. If only more people woke up that there is no fundamental difference between the two; both support big government, the Marxist income tax, the Fed.

The Establishment fears a genuine third party that isn't under their control, that is why Libertarian third parties are treated like kooks and weirdos in the media. Third parties that stand for nothing different, like Perot's Reform Party and the Green Party, are treated like legitimate parties.

[silentshout]

I won't vote GOP if RP or Johnson are not on the ticket. No way. I will vote third party. Honestly, I would rather have Obama with a Republican Congress than a republican congress and a biggov GOP president.

[Nic]

Agreed. It's either RP, GJ, or libertarian party candidate for me as well. I won't vote for a big government republican.

[georgiaboy]

forget third party, i'm still waiting for a 2nd party to show up.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Chuck Baldwin was a good third party contender. I am willing to bet the Constitution party puts forward another good candidate.

The Constitution, Independent, and Libertarian parties need to put their trivial differences aside for 2012 and unite. It's the only way to be a force against the establishment duopoly. First action would be a huge push with the Tea Party and expose those fronted Establishment/NEOCON organizations that are fooling/playing Tea Party groups.

To start, co-opted fronted groups like Resistnet/Patriot Action Network/Tea Party Express needs to be exposed.

Constitution Party should have a 100% endorsement and following of Tea Party members/organizations... do they, nope.

[Krugerrand]

It's better for the GOP to lose for running the wrong candidate than to win with the wrong candidate. This puts pressure on them to improve upon who they run in future elections.

[UtahApocalypse]

Ron Paul or apathy

[MN Patriot]

The Constitution, Independent, and Libertarian parties need to put their trivial differences aside for 2012 and unite. It's the only way to be a force against the establishment duopoly. First action would be a huge push with the Tea Party and expose those fronted Establishment/NEOCON organizations that are fooling/playing Tea Party groups.

To start, co-opted fronted groups like Resistnet/Patriot Action Network/Tea Party Express needs to be exposed.

Constitution Party should have a 100% endorsement and following of Tea Party members/organizations... do they, nope.

Third parties have been talking about uniting for years, but never do. Here is how is could be accomplished: Join all libertarian/conservative political parties, then have the members vote to unite the multiple parties into one. It would be interesting to see if it could be done. If a serious effort were made to do such a thing, I would join the LP and Constitution Party. Not sure what other third parties would be worth joining. Maybe the Reform Party. But all that political partying would be a major time consumer.

[TheTyke]

A third party would be just as easily co-opted as one of the two... in fact, in 2008 we saw it happen with Libertarians nominating drug-warrior Bob Barr. It very nearly happened with Alan Keyes trying to hijack the Constitution party, but fortunately Baldwin won in the end.

Whatever party it is, it takes people getting involved, working hard, and executing the proper strategy to take and maintain control of the party structure. And since many people culturally support or vote Democrat or Republican, it makes most sense to influence one of those - that's how Rand won the 2nd highest political office in the country. The Libertarians haven't won even one federal election in 40 years of existence... Why don't we use the strategies that work, instead of playing into this media-created distraction?

Let's get active in our party now. Learn the convention rules, make friends, and become delegates in 2012.