According to this news story, on September 24, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said that voters who vote for someone other than President Obama or Mitt Romney are “wasting their vote.”
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A Zogby poll of the national presidential race includes five candidates: The results: Obama 49%, Romney 40%, Johnson 2%, Stein 2%, Goode 1%, other or undecided 6%. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.
The Star-Tribune Minnesota Poll released September 24 apparently lists only three presidential candidates, and shows these results: President Obama 48%, Mitt Romney 40%, Gary Johnson 5%, undecided 7%. Normally this blog doesn’t link to presidential polls that only list three candidates, because they are misleading (except in the few states in which only three candidates are on the ballot for President). However, an exception was made in this case. Former Governor Jesse Ventura has been campaigning for Gary Johnson, and Ventura’s support probably helps Johnson more in Minnesota than in the typical state.
The text of the article says that Johnson was one of the three choices presented to respondents, but the pie graph does not mention Johnson. Thanks to Mr. Straw for the link.
Roll Call has this story about U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Cornyn says, “I believe we should strengthen the political parties, and that starts with revising the federal fundraising restrictions and coordinated limits on both parties. Anyone who supports more campaign finance transparency should support a strong political party system.”
Under current federal campaign finance laws, political parties are the only organizations that cannot spend unlimited amounts of money on independent expenditures. They are also subject to strict limits on how much money individuals may donate to them, even for activities that do not relate to campaigns for federal office. Cornyn shows his mind-set with his reference to “both” parties, when of course there are more than two political parties in the United States. Thanks to Rick Hasen’s ElectionLawBlog for the link.
The Charleston Post and Courier of September 24 has a major story about the Speaker of the South Carolina House, Bobby Harrell. According to the story, for at least four years he has reimbursed himself from campaign contributions and has not kept receipts or other records showing how he spent the money. Representative Harrell has served in the legislature for twenty years. He was unopposed for re-election in his Charleston district in November 2010. He is co-chair of the 2012 PGA Championship, and it appears much of the money was spent on his trips to PGA tournaments in other states.
In 2012, he happens to have two ballot-listed opponents, Green Party nominee Larry Carter Center, and independent John Steinberger, a fair tax activist. The South Carolina Democratic Party has initially thought of cross-endorsing Center. South Carolina permits fusion, and for a while it appeared he would be the first Green Party nominee in South Carolina to be listed as the Democratic nominee as well. But then the Democratic Party changed its mind and returned Center’s filing fee, so he is only listed as a Green. Thanks to Eugene Platt for the link.