LIBERTARIAN COULD THROW WRENCH IN ELECTION GEARS

MONTGOMERY -- John Sophocleus has no illusions of becoming Alabama
governor, but he has every intention of helping control who does. And some
independent pollsters and political scientists around the state say he just
might succeed.

The Libertarian nominee for the state's top office comes into the waning
days of a high-profile campaign with little name recognition and less
money, as Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman and Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Riley
spend millions of dollars to saturate airwaves and dominate political
discourse.

Against that backdrop, Sophocleus describes as a "small miracle" the
scenario that would give him anything approaching 10 percent of the vote in
Tuesday's election. But as most polls show either a statistical dead heat
or a slim Riley lead, Sophocleus talks of a more modest goal: drawing more
votes than the final margin separating the front-runners.

That, he said, would make the drivers of the Alabama electoral machinery
listen.

"There is no competi tion in Alabama politics," Sophocleus told the Mobile
Register in a recent interview. "If Don Siegelman or Bob Riley edges the
other by one (percentage) point, and John Sophocleus is sitting there with
two points, then they'll have to pay attention."

Recent surveys, including those from the Alabama Education Association, the
Business Council of Alabama and the University of South Alabama Polling
Group, have shown Sophocleus with anywhere from 1 percent to 3 percent support.

Still, Siegelman and Riley supporters said they give the economics
professor little consideration.

"This just really isn't anything that we are concerned with," said Marty
Connors, executive director of the Alabama Republican Party.

At Siegelman's campaign headquarters, spokesman Rip Andrews said, "Our
strategy now is very similar to what it has been all along: to focus on
what is a very clear choice between Don Siegelman and Bob Riley."

It's precisely that choice, Sophocleus argued, that should draw voters to
the Libertarian ticket. He pushes his own specific proposals as
alternatives to his opponents' repetitive themes: Siegelman hammering Riley
for proposing no new education funding; Riley blasting Siegelman for a
series of ethics scandals, one of which spawned an investigation by state
and federal authorities.

Alabama's education funding crisis, Sophocleus said, would be fixed by
eliminating all extracurricular activities, including band and sports.
Both, he said, should become local community functions.

Prison overcrowding would be eliminated by relaxing what he described as
over-bearing drug laws, which he said puts drug users and small-time
dealers in prison cells that should be reserved for violent criminals.

Further, Sophocleus said, he wants to expand the size of the Alabama
Legislature to provide better representation. He points out that the size
of that body has remained the same since ratification of the 1901
Constitution, though the state's population has more than doubled, leaving
legislators responsible for more constituents.

It's all part of the Libertarian philosophy, which, as explained by
Sophocleus, favors personal freedom and responsibility above government
intervention and regulation.

His candidacy is part of the largest Libertarian ticket in state history.
Libertarians qualified as a major party under state law after one of its
candidates drew at least 20 percent of the vote in a 2000 statewide election.

Experts said it is difficult to predict how well Sophocleus will fare on
Tuesday. Next to impossible, they said, is pinning down the sources of his
support.

Keith Nicholls, a USA pollster, said Sophocleus' best showing would result
from his most enthusiastic supporters combined with protest votes from
those who normally cast ballots for Republicans or Democrats.

Another pollster, however, said Sophocleus is in line to claim partial
credit for the outcome, should Riley edge Siegelman.

Alabama Education Association pollster Gerald Johnson explained that
Sophocleus' numbers have risen from 1 to as much as 3 percent during
October. Also increasing in the AEA polls is the number of undecided
voters. Meanwhile, Riley's numbers have dropped in amounts greater than any
gains by Siegelman, he said.

"That data suggests that Sophocleus is taking votes from Riley," Johnson
concluded. AEA executive secretary Paul Hubbert has endorsed Siegelman.

At GOP headquarters, Connors said the neither the party nor the Riley
campaign has seen any internal polling that would support Johnson's findings.

Nicholls said he remained skeptical, too, as he disputed one conventional
theory linking Republicans and Libertarians. While Republicans might like
the applications of Libertarian philosophy to business and the economy,
Nicholls said, the Libertarian effect on social policies about drugs and
abortion is more in line with the Democratic Party. "I think that's a big
part of the reason Sophocleus would draw from both sides, not just one," he
said.

Carl Grafton, an Auburn University Montgomery political scientist, said
that whatever the outcome, Sophocleus' platform will cost him more votes
than it could ever draw.

"Ideology is fine," he said, adding that he was sympathetic to many
Libertarian views. "But when it comes to winning elections, they've just
got to connect to the real world."

For Sophocleus, though, a principled loss is fine, he said, offering with
seemingly equal parts of confidence and disdain: "I wouldn't be running if
I didn't think I was the best candidate."