Spinners and Winners
Americans will soon have their choice for the 2012 presidential race: Mitt Romney versus Barack Obama. But one group, Americans Elect, is determined to give voters a third choice for president. Americans Elect is out to shake up the voting process, taking nominations and votes for a third party candidate online, and promising to put a candidate on the ballot of every state come November.
The group is telling voters, "you've got somewhere else to go," said Elliot Ackerman, Americans Elect's chief operating officer. "We're going to put a small-i, independent, on the ballot in all 50 states, and every registered voter in this country - they don't have to be a Republican or a Democrat - they can participate."
The group's top declared candidate is Buddy Roemer, who at the time of writing had just under 3,200 supporters. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex, is listed as a draft candidate and has about double the number of supporters; Paul is currently seeking the Republican nomination for president. Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman and Bernie Sanders are also listed as draft candidates.
But does the group think any of their candidates -- declared, draft, or otherwise -- can actually win the general election? And how will Americans Elect support them through the 2012 race? Check out this week's Spinners and Winners to find out.