Virginia Election: The Case Against a Third Political Party

The 2013 Gubernatorial Race in Virginia is the most recent clear case against having a Third Political Party in the United States. In short, a strongly supported Third Party candidate keeps liberal Democrats in power.

At the time of this writing (Nov 6, 2013) the final vote tally was:

Terry McAuliffe (Democratic candidate)) : 1,064,815

Ken Cuccinelli (Republican candidate)) : 1,009,839

Robert Sarvis (Libertarian candidate) : 146, 474

McAuliffe won the election by 54,976 votes which is 37.5 percent of the votes the (Democrat funded) Libertarian candidate received.

Virginia Democratic Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe address his supporters, as his sons Jack, 20, left, and Peter, 11, right, look on, during an election victory party in Tysons Corner, Va., Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

The key question is, if Robert Sarvis wasn’t in the race where would his votes have gone? Would they have gone to the Democrat (Terry McAuliffe), the Republican (Ken Cuccinelli) or would they have just stayed home? Although many may have just stayed home, most would have still voted.

What’s the likelihood that they would have voted for McAuliffe? Slim. Although it’s true that many Democrats have become disgruntled with their party and are looking for a Third Party option, they are not looking for a party that wants less government than Republican party.

Most Democrats looking for a Third Party are upset at the Democrat Party because they feel the Party isn’t doing enough when it comes to gay rights, environment protection, taxing the rich, and women’s rights. Voting for a Libertarian (even in name only) is like voting for the anti-Christ.

However, the Republican Party is supposed to be the party of limited government and lower taxes. That’s not very far from where most Libertarians stand. If Libertarians are honest with themselves, most will admit that they would choose the Republican if they only had the choice between a Democrat and a Republican.

Alfreda Raczynski talks to voters Mark Henderson, left, and Robert Fielding at the Roanoke Scottish Rite building in Roanoke, Va., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/The Roanoke Times, Joel Hawksley) 

This is not the first race that has been swayed by a strong Third Party candidate. There are many smaller local, statewide and Congressional races that have a Democrat sitting there because a Third Party took too many votes away from the Republican candidate.

The real problem is that the Republican Party abandoned their limited government, lower tax principles. When many Republicans woke up to this fact instead of ‘voting the bums out’ they have started looking for Third Party candidates. It’s time to hold the politicians accountable, especially in the Republican Party.

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