Doherty Is Indeed Involved In The Process

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/130124.html

Yes, Brian, sorry -- I was talking about percentages.  There were no statewide races in California this election, but in 2004 our Senate candidate got 4X the votes of Badnarik, and in 2000 our Senate candidate  got 4X the votes of Browne.  I've never heard of an LP presidential candidate for whom this pattern didn't hold.  In off-year races our candidates for state executive tend to do even better. In 2006, Lightfoot got 2.0%, and so did Weissman, while Tello got 2.2%, Ogden got 3.7%, and Smithson 4.0%.   In 2002, Lightfoot got 2.8%, while Smithson got 2.4%, and Ogden got 3.2%.  In 1998, Lightfoot got 2.7%, while Peterson got 2.4%, and Ogden 2.2%.     I don't know about other states, but in California our downticket percentages were at record highs, 30% to 50% higher than expected. Our average vote percentage for Congress was 4.53%, for State Senate 5.94%, and for State Assembly 6.74% -- compared to Barr's standard 0.5%.  The explanation for this pattern seems to be that the Wasted Vote Syndrome is weaker the farther down the ticket you go.  Many voters can't name their Congressman, and most can't name their Assemblyman, but they've all heard of Obama and his "historic" campaign.

As for Doherty not being "involved in the process", I submit that Reason and Cato do more to spread libertarianism than the LP does, and I'm grateful for the level of attention that Reason pays us.  Also, it's a matter of public record that Doherty was a presidential elector pledged to Bob Barr.  I wish every libertarian "radical" had the even-tempered perspective and practical involvement of a Brian Doherty.