Reply #105: Nonsense. It is obvious that two candidates for one group will

[tblue37]

split the votes of that group. Since the Republican voters have significant ideological differences with each other, two candidates of the sort that attract Republcian voters will split the Republican vote. It is simple math. Those who would support a Libertarian or a social conservative candidate are not going to support a Democratic candidate, so we wouldn't get their votes anyway, but a single Republican candidate would probably get both groups' votes. But if each group's ideological preferences are represented by a different candidate, then instead of getting both votes, the Republican candidate will get just one of the votes, while the other candidate will get the other vote. Meanwhile, the Dem gets all the Dem votes and wins.

But if a Dem candidate and a Green candidate split the votes of those who would vote against the Republican (even if those voters are not thrilled with the Dem candidate), then instead of both votes, the Dem candidate gets only one vote and the Green candidate gets only one vote.