Following on a widely-discussed article by Kos about the so-called libertarian Democrats, a new Cato [PDF] study finds “the libertarian vote is in play. At some 13 percent of the electorate, it is sizable enough to swing elections. Pollsters, political strategists, candidates, and the media should take note of it.” Duly noted, and there is some evidence that the political strategists have done so as well. "The West is prime, fertile ground for Democrats," Bill Richardson recently told the Denver Post, which pointed out that, although “It is a nostrum of politics that a switch of 60,000 votes in Ohio would have made John Kerry president in 2004 … a swing of 63,500 votes would have given the Democrats Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.”

Those interested in reading more should check out David Weigel’s Reason profile of Idaho Republican congressman Butch Otter, now a candidate for governor...

The article, from the November issue, isn't yet online, so I'll summarize. In his early political career, Otter loudly proclaimed his opposition to anti-marijuana and anti-pornography laws. As a congressman, he was one of three Republicans to oppose the Patriot Act. Yet when political necessity called for it, he has been willing to go against his better judgment, voting in favor of the Medicare drug benefit, the flag burning amendment, and to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case. Just this week he came out against the state’s controversial Proposition Two, which would require governments to treat as eminent domain takings any land-use restrictions that reduce a property’s resale value.

Weigel’s main point is that, even in Idaho, libertarian politics has its limits, the main one being the movement’s close association with the Republican party. The idea of a committed libertarian Democrat, on the other hand, seems absurd –- the national party (for good reason) is committed to higher taxes and bigger government, and libertarians vote their pocketbook. But on issues of privacy and personal choice, the Democrats may be able to make some inroads. And this brings us back to where we started: a small but significant bloc of voters just aching to be wooed. Go to it, Idaho Dems!