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Gubernatorial candidates Sam Brownback and Tom Holland will debate Saturday at the Kansas State Fair, but Libertarian candidate Andrew Gray will be stuck eyeing the corn dogs like everybody else.
It's a familiar role for third-party candidates in Kansas, who often find themselves passing out fliers while the big-party candidates enjoy the spotlight. But Gray has a plan to ensure this is the last time he's left outside looking in.
Thanks to record disgust with the two major parties and the likelihood of a lop-sided governor's race, Gray thinks he can win 5 percent of the vote — enough to secure the Libertarians "major party" status in Kansas.
"This is the year we could do it," Gray said. "People sometimes think if they vote for a candidate who doesn't have a good chance of winning, they're throwing away their vote. But this year we could really make a difference."
Republicans confident in Brownback's chances could vote Libertarian with a clear conscience, he said. Democrats convinced that Holland stands little chance might do the same, he suggested.
Voters unhappy with both parties? Gray likes them even better.
Five percent might sound like low expectations for someone who wants to be governor, but it would be a big improvement for a third party in Kansas. In 2006, only 1 percent of voters cast a ballot for the Libertarian candidate for governor. In 2002, the number was less than 1 percent.
Major-party status, however, would enable the Libertarian Party to hold public August primaries, just as the Republican and Democratic parties now do in Kansas. Currently, the Libertarians nominate their candidates at sparsely attended conventions.
The elevated status also would allow Libertarian candidates to file for office directly with the Secretary of State, instead of collecting signatures to win a place on the general election ballot.
Gray hopes a higher profile also will get the party's candidates invited to more debates. Their end goal is a real third-party option for Kansas voters.
"Ultimately, Kansans benefit if they have greater choices," Gray said. "We want to give that to them."
Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political science professor, said the Libertarians have a shot at getting 5 percent this year. But they'll have to find a way to connect with voters first.
"There's quite a bit of potential for Libertarians this year, but normally they lack the resources to get their message out," Beatty said. "And that's not just a Libertarian problem, it's a third-party problem."
Another group left out of this week's debate — the Reform Party — petitioned the State Fair and the debate's broadcaster, WIBW-TV and Radio, to include other parties this year.
Debate organizers invite only candidates who raise at least $50,000 in contributions, maintain a staff and campaign office, and get at least 7 percent in any poll.
"We're in this campaign to win it," said Dan Faubion, the running mate of Reform Party gubernatorial candidate Ken Cannon. "But when we can't get our message out because we're shut out of the process, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."
