Albuquerque, NM - After two weeks of advertising and a week in New
Mexico, twin Rasmussen polls show Libertarian presidential candidate
Michael Badnarik right where he started: At five percent. And he's
okay with that.

"We're a small campaign," says Badnarik, 50, of Austin, Texas. "We
put about $75,000 into New Mexico -- a fraction of what the other
candidates had already spent there. Then George W. Bush and John
Kerry threw everything they had at us. They mauled each other. But
we're still standing."

"Would I have liked some 'bounce?' Sure -- I'd like to be carrying
the state," he continues. "But I'll take what I can get. Usually
major party attention sends third party votes fading. Ours didn't
fade. And it won't."

Campaign manager Fred Collins is more effusive. "As of June, Kerry
had spent $300,000 in New Mexico, and Bush about $60,000. Badnarik
came in with one sixth the money, and forced the issue. The GOP went
into action to put Nader on the ballot, because Badnarik was here.
George Bush announced his troops withdrawal from Europe. He could
have announced it any time, but it was New Mexico that moved it to
the front burner."

Badnarik's ad campaign took both Bush and Kerry to task for the war
in Iraq. "And that had to hurt Kerry. Bush's voters already knew
where he stood. Bush did steal a little of our thunder by
positioning himself as wanting to bring troops home. It's nice to
have some thunder to steal."

Adds Badnarik polling director Rolf Lindgren: "George Bush spent more
taxpayer money just flying into New Mexico on Air Force One than
Badnarik spent altogether. Kerry's train rental fees probably dwarfed
our total expenditure, too. They got 100 times as much free media as
Badnarik. They tailored their messages to Badnarik's 5%. And at the
end of the day, they just switched places. Kerry was ahead, within
the margin of error. Now Bush is ahead, within the margin of error.
And Badnarik is still covering that margin and deciding the outcome."
The latest poll also shows significant boosts in name recognition for
both Badnarik and the Libertarian Party.

The campaign is keeping its future plans under wraps for the moment.
But, says communications director Steve Gordon, "we'll turn up in
another battleground state soon. The Bush and Kerry campaigns should
probably stock up on aspirin and antacid."