Green Party Candidate Stands Poised To Sway the Outcome

A third-party candidate who could prove decisive in today’s dead-heat governor’s race spent the eve of Election Day in a Harvard classroom.

Jill E. Stein ’72-’73, running on the Green ticket, joined more than 60 supporters from her party’s network of volunteers in a rally last night on the third floor of Emerson Hall. The event, hosted by the Harvard Greens, was the party’s last campaign rally before elections and drew almost the entire slate of its state-wide candidates.

Stein has been viewed by some political observers as a potential spoiler, since the race for the governor’s office has come down to the wire between Democrat Shannon P. O’Brien and Republican W. Mitt Romney.

In fact, all of the speakers at last night’s rally commented on the view that “a vote for Stein is a vote for Romney.”

The candidate herself said that Democrats “need to be sent a message” and that the party is not interested in taking on a progressive agenda.

“The parties can no longer abuse the vote for social and economic justice, for health care and for education,” she said.

“The 85 percent Democratic majority is veto-proof,” Stein said. “They can pass any piece of legislation they want and can override any veto.”

She said Democrats have not used their power to help their traditional constituency of poor and minority citizens.

Other speakers at the rally commented on Question 3, a non-binding referendum on the 1998 Clean Elections law, which provides for public financing of political campaigns.

They took issue with the wording of the measure, which was put on the ballot by the legislature, and encouraged voters to support the proposition, which would advise the state legislature to keep Clean Elections intact.

Polls published in the last several days have shown the gubernatorial race a dead heat between O’Brien and Romney, with Stein routinely polling about five percent.

Although some speakers said they hoped for a “November surprise,” Stein was realistic about her chances and said her candidacy and campaign alone had sent a message to Democrats.

“Wherever we come in,” she said, “this election will be a win for us.”