Will Nader be a factor in this year's race?

[prolesunited]

Nader Emerging as the Threat Democrats Feared

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
The New York Times

Published: October 15, 2004

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 - With less than three weeks before the election, Ralph Nader is emerging as just the threat that Democrats feared, with a potential to tip the balance in up to nine states where President Bush and Senator John Kerry are running neck and neck.

Despite a concerted effort by Democrats to derail his independent candidacy, as well as his being struck off the Pennsylvania ballot on Wednesday, Mr. Nader will be on the ballots in more than 30 states.

Polls show that he could influence the outcomes in nine by drawing support from Mr. Kerry. They are Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Wisconsin.

Moreover, six - Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Wisconsin - were among the top 20 where Mr. Nader drew his strongest support in 2000. If the vote for Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry is as evenly divided as the polls suggest, the electoral votes in any one of those states could determine who becomes president.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/15/politics/campaign/15nader.html?oref=login&hp&ex=1097812800&en=064f2a268f2f3127&ei=5094&partner=homepage


What's the truth of this? So, who's still voting for Nader? Do you know of anyone who is?

[WI_DEM]

1. Of course he is a threat in a close election.

[JPZenger]

6. Off the Ballot in Ohio, PA and several other states

Nader is permanently off the ballot in Ohio, PA and several other swing states. He has been pretty well marginalized in most other states.
----
According to NPR, there is a good chance that Colorado will be the source of election lawsuits. The public is being given a chance in a referendum to split the electoral votes of the State. If the electoral vote comes down to a difference of 3 or so votes, this would make the difference.

If the referendum is approved, there will be an opportunity for a legal challenge because: a) the Constitution says that State legislators are supposed to determine those rules, not the voters, and b) there is a question whether a referendum passed in November could apply to this November's election.

[johncoby2]

2. no.

[amber dog democrat]

3. Well, yes

It would be nice if he was not trying to syphon off votes from the Democratic party.
May he be forever damned in public life for it.
Meanwhile I believe we can honestly win in spite of this fool.

[Zuni]

4. Only if it is really close in some battleground states

Nader even taking a couple hundred votes in some states could be very bad for us.

[ramapo]

5. Not significantly

Nader will be no more a threat than the Libertarian or Socialist candidates. Sure he'll get some votes but nothing like in 2000.

Nader gets the blame for Florida and while there is certainly some truth to it, you could also blame any of the other third party candidates who got more than 600 votes.

If Kerry can't win this race then he doesn't deserve to.

[prolesunited]

7. Who is still voting for him?

Who are these people?

[drumwolf]

8. Is there anyone voting for Nader this year

who would ever have even remotely considered voting for Kerry?

[seaj11]

9. he's definitely a threat

because there are plenty of people who don't like Bush or Kerry, so they'll vote for Nader. I don't know of anyone who is voting for Nader in this election, but I know of someone who voted for him in the 2000 election, and he's regretted it ever since. Certainly some people who voted for Nader in the 2000 election are going to realize how crucial it is that they vote for either Bush or Kerry. Hopefully, they'll vote for Kerry.