According to a new Gallup Poll, any hope that 2008 would be a break-out election for third-party candidates appears to have fallen away:
PRINCETON, NJ — A recent Gallup Poll in which four third-party candidates were explicitly listed for voters along with the two major-party candidates found only minimal support for any candidate other than John McCain or Barack Obama.
Ralph Nader (independent candidate) received 2% of voter choices, Bob Barr (Libertarian Party) and Cynthia McKinney (Green Party) 1%, and Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party) received less than 1%. The two major-party candidates, Obama and McCain, combined to receive 90% of registered voters’ choices.
The percentage of voters choosing Nader has declined from 4% in a similar poll a month ago. Gallup’s usual presidential ballot in which third-party candidates are not read, but in which respondents are given the choice of naming any candidate they choose, finds about 1% who mention candidates other than McCain and Obama.
Disappointing to say the least.
