Proposition 1, to end the Massachussetts income tax did not pass. Few of us expected it would this first try. But despite massive counter efforts by the entrenched interests, it came damn close:
With 2155 out of 2157 precincts reporting,
881,738 people voted Yes on 1 — 45.4%
1,060,525 people voted No on 1 — 54.6%
Despite a total news black out from the major Boston news outlets, Michael Cloud managed a respectable showing against the very senior “safe seat” incumbent John Kerry:
With 2155 of 2157 precincts reporting,
John F. Kerry (Dem): 1,596,350 – 81%
Michael Cloud (Lib): 368,304 – 19%
Richard Winger, Third Party authority and Editor of Ballot Access News, said the following: “This was the best U.S. Senate result for a Libertarian in Party history, and the best by any nationally organized Third Party candidate in a U.S. Senate race since 1932.”
Carla Howell only managed 1% on the hotly contested governor race between two indistinguishable candidates. Insiders feel she sacrificed her own campaign to push Proposition 1 ahead at every opportunity.
All of this was done in campaign efforts outspent by factors of 100 to 1 and higher by candidates whose campaigns were partially State funded.
“You done good”, guys. Or as Ms O’Hare said, “Tomorrow is another day.”
A respectable showing by Cloud? His 19% is obviously an anti-Kerry vote, it’s nearly all Republicans who felt compelled to vote against Kerry. Had there been a Republican candidate Cloud would have been lucky to get 1%.
19% might constitute a “respectable showing” for a minor/third-party candidate in a Senate race IF there were three candidates running: Party affiliation, especially in terms of backing (however tenuous) from the National organization is an important component of American politics, and the thing to note about Kerry’s race is that there was NO Republican candidate running against him: therefore, anyone who wanted to vote against Kerry (however futile a gesture it might be) had nowhere else to turn except to the Libertarian – not a bad showing, but scarcely a ringing endorsement.
PS: the “tomorrow” quote is from Ms. O’Hara, not O’Hare
Massachusetts lawmakers are well aware of what the 45% approval to end the state income tax will have on state spending.
If Cloud’s result is mediocre, then how to explain the Winger quotation?
“This was the best U.S. Senate result for a Libertarian in Party history, and the best by any nationally organized Third Party candidate in a U.S. Senate race since 1932.”
I wonder how many Senate races have lacked a major candidate challenger the past seven decades.