GOP Can Blame the Libertarians For Their Loss

Reason reports:

The GOP’s post-mortem also includes the realization that libertarians, a group they always assume will vote for them, cost them control of the United States Senate.

Montana’s incumbent Republican Sen. Conrad Burns lost to Democrat Jon Tester by more than 2,500 votes. Stan Jones, the Libertarian Party candidate, whose claim to fame is his Star Trek-like blue skin, earned 10,339 votes, four times the number of votes Burns needed to hold on.

Jones’ skin is permanently blue-gray because he drank too much colloidal silver thinking it would help prevent disease. Many pundits thought his presence in the Senate race was the perfect illustration of the complete irrelevance of third-party candidates in our two-party political system. Instead, he changed the outcome of the entire midterm elections. After all, it’s a completely different narrative if Republicans hold the Senate.

The GOP can consider blaming libertarians in Missouri, as well. Incumbent Sen. Jim Talent lost to Democrat Claire McCaskill by 45,000 votes, with Libertarian Frank Gilmour receiving more than 47,000 votes.

Some voters are tired of two socialist candidates to choose from.