Would you support your candidate if they ran as an independent?

[Hugabear]

Just wondering.

For the record, I'm a Democrat FIRST, and an Obama supporter second. If he somehow lost our nomination and decided to run as an independent, I'd have to say sorry, but I'll be voting for Hillary.

[Madam Mossfern]

1. The thought intrigues me but

anyone who runs and actually wins as an independent will have a lot of trouble getting support in congress. It wouldn't work and the country would be in an even greater quagmire.

[dogday]

2. NO

No and again No.

[sellitman]

3. Not until the repiggies have a second vote drainer.

Just common sense.

[tekisui]

4. Nope.

[goldcanyonaz]

5. No, and neither would run as one.

[Mooney]

6. No.

It would have to be some absolutely amazing candidate whose appeal to me superseded my desire to keep the Republicans out of office. That person has never come along, and probably never will.

[Zensea]

7. I don't deal with hypotheticals unless

there's actually some reasonable possibility of them occurring.
That's not the case with this one.
My answer would be no if there were, however.

Also, generally speaking (though not necessarily in this instance) I think hypotheticals on political discussion boards are flame bait.

[chyjo]

8. If Obama ran as an independant

And I do not think for a second that he would. I would vote for him. If Kucinich had run on the Green Party line in 2004 against Bush and Kerry I probably would have voted for him too. I live in New York we go blue no matter what! Jesus H. Christ! we elected Hillary Clinton to the Senate. Explain that!

[goldcanyonaz]

9. Just like Illinios elected Obama to Senate. Another blue state.

He ran against Alan Keyes. How could he not win?

I live in Arizona and have been told that my not voting for Obama wont matter either because I'm in a red state. So, I guess I don't have to vote on Election Day.

Funny how this works, huh...

[crankychatter]

10. self delete

zip

[crankychatter]

11. no but, sooner or later the Democratic Wing needs to split from the DLC types

just not when WW3 is in the offing

[JohnnyLib2]

12. No.

[MaineDem]

13. No!

That would serve no purpose whatsoever.

[mmonk]

14. No.

Not unless they could win (since he is a democrat) but history shows independent attempts fail. We cannot have a McCain presidency.

[cooolandrew]

15. No as it would make them and me a fraud.

[MonkeyFunk]

16. No, of course not

but it's never going to happen.

[book_worm]

17. Nope.

[Zero Division]

18. Hell no. Our system doesn't support the potential for successful third parties

or third party candidates. I wish that would change, but it hasn't. I'm a Democrat first, not because of "blind party allegiance" as many third party supporters charge, but because it's been the only feasible political vehicle for progressive change for a very long time--despite all of the disappointments through the years.

[LWolf]

19. Yes,

if DK ever decides to go independent, I'll support him.

As far as Clinton and Obama are concerned, I'll support an independent before I support either of them.

Issues come before party for me. The only legitimate purpose of party is to secure the issues, and when party candidates aren't going to do so, then they don't get my vote.