Buzuma Vote May Determine Outcome Of Governor's Race

Lansing, September 11, 2014 (Newswire.com) - According to a recent poll of conducted by Public Policy Polling, the percentage of likely voters casting their ballots for Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mary Buzuma exceeds the difference between the votes to be cast for Democrat Mark Schauer and Republican Rick Snyder.

Between September 4th and 7th Public Policy Polling surveyed 687 likely voters. Forty three percent of the respondents said they would vote for Republican Rick Snyder, while forty two percent said they would vote for Democrat challenger Mark Schauer.  Since the margin of error is +/- 3.7 %  The Democrat and Republican are virtually tied.

Frankly I'm not surprised. One thing I've found in talking to voters is that most people support a majority of the Libertarian platform of less government and more freedom. They're very dissatisfied with politicians who through big government programs promise much but deliver very little.

Mary Buzuma, Libertarian for Governor of Michigan

While Snyder holds onto a one percent lead over Schauer, Libertarian Mary Buzuma polled at three percent.  Green Party candidate Paul Homeniuk, and U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate Mark McFarlin could also swing the election, but Mary Buzuma appears to be drawing more votes then the other two combined.  Mary Buzuma said, "Frankly I'm not surprised. One thing I've found in talking to voters is that most people support a majority of the Libertarian platform of less government and more freedom. They're very dissatisfied with politicians who through big government programs promise much but deliver very little."

Mary Buzuma’s running mate is Scotty Boman.  Boman commented, “Whenever the balance of power is this close, it causes the major party candidates to take a closer look at the philosophy, issues and agendas of the minor party candidates.  Since we are likely to draw more votes then the other minor party candidates, the spotlight will shine on our philosophy of maximum liberty, minimal government, and greater privacy.  If they want to attract the voters that favor us, they will need to at least change their rhetoric, and hopefully change their policy stances as well.”

Some of the Libertarian Party’s issues may draw voters away from Rick Snyder.  At the 2014 Republican Convention a third of the delegates supported Wes Nakagiri, a conservative opponent of incumbent Lieutenant Governer Brian Calley, who was the hand picked choice of Governor Snyder.  This was largely viewed as a referendum on Republican satisfaction with Snyder’s position on the issues. 

Unlike Snyder and Calley, many conservative and libertarian Republicans opposed Common Core, pension taxes and Medicaid expansion, while supporting the expansion of concealed carry gun laws (to permit CPL holders to carry guns in more venues).  These are opinions shared by Mary Buzuma and Scotty Boman.  “I have spoken to many TEA Party Republicans who said they will be voting for Mary Buzuma because they don’t see Snyder as being that different the Schauer when it comes to the issues they care about.” Said Lt. Governor candidate Boman.