On October 6, Survey USA released a poll for the New Hampshire U.S. Senate race. It shows: Shaheen (Dem.) 48%, Sununu (Rep.) 40%, Blevens (Libt.) 7%, undecided 5%.
If Ken Blevens polls as much as 4%, the New Hampshire Libertarian Party will once again be ballot-qualified. It was ballot qualified between November 1990 and November 1996, back when the vote test was 3%. In 1997 the New Hampshire legislature raised the vote test to 4%, but expanded the vote test so that U.S. Senate would count, instead of just Governor. In the entire history of popular elections for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, no independent or minor party candidate for U.S. Senate ever polled as much as 4%, except that Blevens himself polled 4.53% for U.S. Senate in 1996. However, the 1997 law change was written so that Blevens’ polling over 4% in 1996 did not count toward making the party ballot-qualified.
In the entire nation, the best Libertarian showing in a U.S. Senate race with both a Democrat and a Republican in the race was in 2000 in Massachusetts, when Carla Howell polled 11.9%.
A quick look gave me the impression that third-party candidates are currently polling higher in SurveyUSA polls than they were in early October 2006.
Here is an opportunity for Libertarians to make a difference in November.
Is the Blevens campaign organized? Do they have a website? Do they have a real campaign effort going?
Are they running radio and TV spots?
If so, a bunch of LP donors could send money today, help Blevens get the 4% and get Ballot Status for the future.
That would help set up the LP to grow into the future.
By, the way. You can do the same thing in North Carolina.
The Munger for Governor campaign IS advertising. They have a great shot at retaining ballot status this year. They only need 2% and they are at 6% or higher is some polls. They are raising thousands of dollars now for advertising on radio and hopefully TV as well.
Google: Munger for Governor and send your best donation today.
Getting ballot status in NC and NH would be a great victory for the LP in 2008 and set us up for a bright future.
Live free or die, baby!