Are Democrats using Independent candidates in an attempt to fool voters into voting for liberal candidates? Yes, says Dick Morris.
In his latest column, Morris identifies three Senate races in which Democrats have positioned Independent candidates on the ballot specifically either to pull votes from the Republican candidate or to win outright as clandestine Democrats.
In recent weeks, South Dakota has gone from near-certain victory for Republicans to increasingly in doubt as liberal Republican-turned-Independent Larry Pressler has gained on Republican Mike Rounds as the election draws near. Pressler is an Obama supporter and backed Obamacare.
Similarly in Kansas Independent Greg Orman, who has previously run as a Democrat, is giving GOP Senator Pat Roberts a run for his money with polls flip-flopping back and forth in what is easily the biggest test for Republican incumbents in this cycle. Orman voted for Obama twice and also embraced Obamacare.
And in North Carolina, Republican Thom Tillis has trailed Democrat incumbent Kay Hagan by fewer points than are being garnered by the Libertarian candidate Sean Haugh, whom Morris suggests is being funded by the Democrats.
The strategy is a proven one in which Angus King successfully replaced Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe in Maine after he ran as an Independent in 2012, choosing to caucus with Democrats after his election.
