Undecided Libertarians Could Decide the Election

Libertarians may decide the presidential election in Virginia, as many are torn between voting for Governor Romney, a fiscal conservative, and President Obama, a social liberal.

At a Romney rally in Manassas on Saturday, many undecided voters took the opportunity to learn more about one of their choices.

Virginia resident Mary Dellinger, an undecided voter, attended the rally, saying, “I want to hear about his economic plan, because I think that’s what it’s going to come down to for me.”

“If I vote for him, this will be the first time in my life I’ve voted Republican,” said Dellinger.

“[Obama] promised us he was going to reform health care and the economy…there’s no jobs. I’ve just been disappointed. My cost of living keeps on going up…and I don’t make any more money.”

She described her struggle to stay afloat saying, “I’ve had to take a different job to make ends meet.”

Dellinger is undecided, in part, due to her liberal views on social policies.

“One thing that concerns me about [Romney], the few things I’ve heard him say [about women’s issues], he’s a little bit conservative.”

She also declared he support of gay marriage, a major issue on which Obama and Romney disagree.

Dellinger explained she will have to decide between voting for a fiscal conservative and a social liberal.

“No one candidate is going to satisfy every single thing that I want,” she concluded.

Scott Stewart, another undecided voter, said of Romney, “I like his views on the economy.”

He added, “I don’t like a lot of [Obama’s] views lately. I don’t think he’s done everything that he said he would do.”

Liz Stewart, Scott’s sister and another undecided voter, said, “[Paul Ryan’s budget plan] might be a little bit too extreme. It’s the right idea, but it might be a little bit too much.”

Though economically, she agrees with the GOP platform, she said, “I start to go more Democratic with social issues…I support gay marriage, women’s issues definitely.”

Liz said her social views are “quite important.”

As the first sitting president to support marriage equality, Mr. Obama has not been shy about his liberal social views.

Scott summarized his and Liz’s views, saying, “People should do what they want to do. It’s their own lives, and government shouldn’t get involved with that. With the economic side, I like the Republican’s views, but with the Democrats, I like their social issues.”

The two then identified themselves as Libertarians.

Though historically, Virginia has voted for the Republican candidate in nine out of the past ten presidential elections, Obama won the Commonwealth in 2008, and it is now considered a swing state.