Former Republican Rep Bob Barr said that he will run for
president as a Libertarian, a development that could pull some
votes from Republican candidate John McCain.
Barr said neither McCain nor Barack Obama, the Democratic
frontrunner, would rein in a government that he said has grown too
powerful after the September 11 attacks.
"A vote for the status quo...is really and truly a wasted vote,
because it is not going to do anything," Barr said.
As a Georgia congressman between 1995 and 2003, Barr was a stalwart
conservative and one of the leaders of the impeachment of
Democratic President Bill Clinton.
But Barr has broken with the Bush administration in recent years
over its domestic surveillance program and what he called its abuse
of due process rights.
Barr's run on the Libertarian ticket could complicate things ahead
of the November election for McCain, who has struggled to unite
some conservatives behind his candidacy.
Roughly one-quarter of those voting in last week's Republican
nominating contests in Indiana and North Carolina cast their
ballots for candidates other than McCain. And libertarian-leaning
Republican candidate Ron Paul has not formally withdrawn from the
race.
Barr said several members of his former party have asked him not to
run.
But he said his supporters "would not likely fall into the category
of people who would be enthused about voting for John McCain, if
such exist."
Barr's exploratory committee said in April that a poll it
commissioned found he would get the support of seven percent of
likely voters.
Barr did not mention New York Senator Hillary Clinton, the former
First Lady, who trails Obama in the race for the Democratic
nomination.
A match-up between Obama and McCain is unlikely to be close enough
to be affected by any libertarian candidate, said Southern
Methodist University professor Cal Jillson.
"I think we are in an election cycle here in 2008 that is leaning
significantly toward the Democrats," Jillson said. "But if Obama
stumbles and McCain gets close there is a possibility" that a
third-party candidate could be a factor.
The Libertarian Party will pick its presidential candidate at its
convention in Denver between May 22 and May 26.
According to its website, it has gained ballot access in 28 states so far.
