Georgia Libertarian Amanda Swafford says her voters might stay home in case of Senate runoff

Georgia’s Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate Amanda Swafford told TIME Magazine in article featured this week that she doesn’t think all her voters would cross over to Republican David Perdue once she’s not on the ballot in the runoff. She also said she wouldn’t necessarily caucus with Republicans if elected.

Swafford is a spoiler in a close race between Perdue and Democrat Michelle Nunn to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga).  According to polls, the Libertarian has been getting anywhere between 3-5 percent of support, just enough to force the election into a runoff.  At this point, a runoff is almost certain, because less than six weeks ahead of the Nov. 4 contest none of the candidates have crossed the 50 percent mark in state-wide surveys.

It is commonly assumed that Libertarians chose Republicans over Democrats in runoff elections. Swafford, however, believes that her voters are independent thinkers and they’ll go with the candidate whose message is most consistent with their own views. But she criticized her two opponents for throwing mud at one another instead of talking about the issues.

”If that nastiness continues in a run-off, the folks responsible for the run-off will probably just stay home, Swafford says of her supporters. ”And they will have to find new voters in order to win and that will be exceptionally hard.

In the runoff, Nunn needs more help than her opponent because of traditionally lower Democratic tuout during midterms. It would certainly make things easier if Swafford’s supporters chose her in a runoff. Swafford is pro-choice, pro-marriage equality (per her website), and favors legalization pathway for those who violated immigration laws.

However, the Libertarian is also for Fair Tax, a plan that would get rid of most taxes and replace them with single national retail sales tax on goods and services. She believes in getting rid of the Inteal Revenue Service (via Fair Tax) and the Federal Revenue Service.  She’s also for repealing the 16^th Amendment and elimination of all forms of double taxation.  Swafford is a supporter of gun-rights and believes that the role of govement in health care and education should be ”significantly reduced. 

Now, while it is not that unusual to find Republicans who are pro-choice, pro-gay marriage and believe in some kind of legalization of undocumented immigrants, it is quite a challenge to find Democrats who would get behind Swafford’s views on fiscal issues, health care and education.  But she might be right in one regard: her supporters might just sit out the runoff that is scheduled on Jan. 6, shortly after the holidays and before most colleges and schools go back into session.