Ron Paul will be appearing on Montana's ballot as a candidate of the Constitution Party. This will give the 25% of Republican voters who favored Paul in the February primary a home to voice their dissent (remember, McCain finished 4th in that contest).
The Missoulian reports:
HELENA - U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, runner-up in Montana's Republican presidential caucus last winter, will appear on Montana's November ballot as the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party of Montana, it announced Monday.
Joining Paul on Montana's presidential ballot are Bob Barr, Libertarian Party; John McCain, Republican Party; Ralph Nader, independent; and Barack Obama, Democratic Party, said Secretary of State Brad Johnson.
David Hart of Kalispell, who ran Paul's campaign in Montana, predicted that Paul's candidacy would hurt the other four candidates on the state's presidential ballot, particularly McCain.
"Here in Montana, I think it's pretty much sealed the deal that McCain will not win Montana," Hart said. "If he doesn't win, Ron Paul will probably be blamed for it. They only need to look in the mirror and blame themselves for nominating someone who doesn't represent true Republican values and causes like Paul."
Hart predicted Paul may also draw some votes that Obama would otherwise pick up because Paul's message "is really unifying in terms of liberty and freedom and that goes across the party lines."
I can say with a high degree of certainty that this will have a huge impact on the outcome here. I have discussed with many family members who were heavily inclined toward Paul a dissatisfaction with McCain, while at the same time having apprehension about Obama (I don't push to hard as far as trying to convince others how to vote, I'm more interested in just listening and observing).
It would be highly interesting to see a poll with all the candidates taken in MT (Kos, interested?)