Conceivable Ironic Outcome Speculation #12 & #35, Gridlock Edition
In our unbearable fog of epistemological electoral uncertainty, an amusing possible (though unlikely--I think Webb's got it in Virginia) irony of gridlock: after it's all over, Democrat Jon Tester wins in Montana---with Libertarian Stan Jones earning way more votes than the difference between Tester and Republican incumbent Conrad Burns. While in Virginia, after the recount, Republican George Allen ends up winning over Democrat Jim Webb, with Green Glenda Gail Parker more than covering the difference between them.
Relying on the rough, and maybe even accurate, general belief that in third party terms the Libertarians might otherwise tend to lean GOP, and the Greens Democratic, we could have a Senate with no clear party majority--50 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 2 independents (Joe Lieberman and Bernie Sanders) who are expected to act like Democrats--thanks to a small number of citizens' decisions to go third party.
