Two points:

Given the liberal tilt of R2000, this poll actually mirrors other Post Michael J Fox results which show Talent gaining ground.

As for the Liberatrians, they are just people who only seem to want to help sink Republicans (see the WA Gov race in 2004 and Realclearpolitics.com since Ryan Sager has joined). Why? I don't know.

Maybe because Republicans are screwing up the country?

....or, perhaps more people have taken the time to research Clair's voting record, and some of her personal past.....

No, we don't run just to "screw up Republicans". Would you say the same for Greens running against Dems?

The two major parties view interlopers like the LP, Greens, Constitution Party, et cetera, as "vote-stealers". That implies an *ownership* of a vote, and, by extension, the voter him/herself.

Votes are not entitlements. They must be earned.

Why do we do it? Why do ANY third-party candidates/voters do what they do?

Because the Brand X parties don't offer a product we want to buy. We are being sold a bill of goods coming from two sales forces, and they both include the following components:

More government control, because Reps/Dems both consider Americans too stupid to run their own lives...

More government programs, because we can't make it on our own without food stamps, socialized health care, or being told not to run with scissors...

More taxes, to fuel the ever-hungry creature called "bureaucracy"...

More laws, when existing laws aren't enforced.

Before the "anarchist" tag gets mis-applied, let me be clear: Most libertarians want a SMALL government. By definition, an anarchist wants NO government. Huge difference.

I suspect the Reps/Dems don't like Libertarians, not because we espouse smaller government, but that we don't want *enough* government to make the Reps/Dems feel powerful enough.

Some of us refuse to color inside the lines, or to use our own coloring books. We're not freaks, just... different. In a good way.

Sorry, forgot to put the whole URL in. Been a long day, and the coffee hasn't worn off yet.

BTW... is coffee illegal yet? If not, I'm sure some paternalistic nanny-statist will try to criminalize it. I want some trans-fat-laden food, too, but that's next to get the axe - for "the common good".

Speaking of the Food Police, someday we'll be reduced to grumpy, yet healthy, people who can't smoke or enjoy bacon, and forced to subsist on filtered water and boiled, unsalted tofu. Thanks a lot, busybodies.