A lot of pundits are wondering if there will be a third-party or independent run by someone this year. The usual scenario is that it if Giuliani is nominated, then a lot of the evangelicals will abandon the Republican Party. But in the previous post, I thought this an interesting comment:

I really don’t like him either. What the hell am I supposed to do if the contest ends up between Clinton and Huckabee?

It would be a pretty depressing prospect for conservatives and libertarians, to have no candidate in either major party with either a conservative or libertarian bone in their bodies. To my mind, this would be the most likely scenario to cause a revolt of the Republicans (and some Democrats). There would be an opportunity for someone to run on platform of individual and market freedom (particularly if they combined a tough stance on the war). I’m not sure who that would be, though, or how it would happen. Thompson would fit the bill, but I’m don’t know if he’d abandon the party, or be able to pull it off, given his seemingly lackadaisical campaign style to date.

[5 PM EST update]

Here’s an evangelical who thinks that Fred is the man, despite his secularism. He’s a “leave-me-the-heck-alone conservative“:

We Jesus Freaks (I’ll embrace the term) can mostly accomplish what we want to accomplish with a “leave me the heck alone” conservative like Fred (heck, or even McCain). We can live and let live. And Fred’s a likable guy. So I’m with him. And the nice thing about it for me is that I’m not with Fred because the others suck. I’m with Fred because I want to be. In a small bit of irony, back in February I was attending an event in Kansas at the Dole Institute. I told the Director that I was supporting Mitt Romney, but that I really wished someone like Fred Thompson would get in the race. The Director agreed. His name is Bill Lacy. You might have heard of him.

A good bit of me loves Huckabee and Rudy really excites me as a candidate against Hillary. But I want an across the board pro-life, pro-defense, small goverment, pro-entrepreneur conservative. And of the three men who fit the bill, I think Fred offers the most with the least baggage. He’ll make sure the government leaves me the heck alone.

Though I’m not a theist, let alone a Christian, that works for me, too. I think that’s a good sign, if he can survive Iowa and New Hampshire.