Or, alternatively, you could consider that candidates ought to work to earn the votes they get. If Lee Terry had been more of a friend to liberty, he might have gotten those votes. Instead they went to a protest candidate. That is what happens when a mediocre candidate runs in a close contest.
But FWIW, there is no persuasive evidence that Libertarian Party candidates pull more from the right than the left. Libertarianism contains something to offend everyone (who isn't a libertarian, that is): anti-prohibitionism and social liberty to anger the Right, and free markets and personal responsibility to drive the Left up the wall.
I'll add - the natural conclusion to any vote stealing / siphoning via third party candidates discussion or blame game is to eliminate the third party candidates from the ballots. Seriously, what other eventuality is there ?
It's a discussion that
MUST NOT be entertained.
As an aside, everyone at my work voted for Blue Website Guy (TM) (aka Steve Laird). He was the best candidate for the job in our opinion. If he runs next time, one of us will prolly offer to design a site for him heh.
As a really far aside - libertarians really need to learn how to talk to people. "We want to eliminate the Dept of Education!" ZOMG CHILDREN NUUUU!!! No no, show me how the DoE has helped your child. Oh, it hasn't. It doesn't even care about your kid. So why does it exist ? ... Those kinds of things.
