Gary Johnson Poses a Headache for Romney

All that tie talk is based on two-candidate polls; when Johnson is included ... whoops!

A new Zogby poll suggests that Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson could throw the presidential election to President Obama, with the anti-government candidate taking enough votes from Gov. Mitt Romney to give Obama a narrow edge.

In a survey of 798 likely voters conducted August 31 through September 3, Zogby found that if Johnson's name was not mentioned, Obama and Romney were basically tied, with Obama receiving 43.8 percent of the vote, Romney getting 43.5 percent, and 12.7 percent undecided.

But throw Johnson's name in and the numbers shift toward Obama is a way that could swing what is expected to be one of the closest elections ever.

Comments

[Sevo]

One vote is certainly going to Johnson, regardless of any predicted effect on the election.
No way will Obamney or Robama get my vote. One may be red and one blue according to some folks, but they both look purple to me.

[Paleo-ConAvenger]

Ugh, the comments are the article make me hate my GOP registration more and more...

Its basically this recited over and over

"WE CANT LET ANYBODY GET IN THE WAY OF GETTING RID OF NOBAMA, WAAAAAAH"

[SuziSaul]

I don't really care if it gives Obama another term...I refuse to vote for Romney.

[Jeannette Jaquish]

All the Republicans had to do to keep a lot of Ron Paul voters was to treat them fairly at the state and national conventions. The obvious televised ignoring of the Nay vote on the rules change that removed Ron Paul delegates and changed the require number of won states from 5 to 8 was the public example, of what was common practice at most conventions. It was all done, not to stop his nomination -- he never had enough delegates to win nomination -- but to stop Ron Paul from getting the 15 minute speech guaranteed to each nominee. He would have embarrassed them by listing what they should be doing but would not.
The Republicans stopped free speech, robbed Ron Paul delegates, and have probably lost the election because of it.