Nader supporters look to future

For Green Party supporters, election night was not about winning the presidency. In fact, it was about something more important in the long run -- getting 5 percent of the vote to receive federal matching funds. \nBut victory was not on their side.\nThe verdict came down at the last hour as California, Oregon and Washington -- Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader's biggest support states -- closed their polls and began to tally the votes. Nader spent most of the night at 2 percent of the vote in the preliminary result states, with promising showings in preliminary states such as Iowa, where he garnered 26 percent of the vote at one time. But the final tally was less impressive, and Nader failed to get 5 percent of the popular vote. \nPolitical analysts predicted that Green Party voters might switch their votes at the last minute and support Vice President Al Gore, who was in a heated race with Texas Gov. George W. Bush throughout the night. Despite this idea, Nader still managed to take more than one and a half million votes in the election.\nNader told Larry King in a CNN interview he thought his voters would not diminish the Gore campaign or the results of the election.\n"I think Al Gore can only beat Al Gore, like David Letterman said," Nader told King.\nTheresa Amato, campaign manager for Nader 2000 said in a press release the West Coast states, particularly California, Oregon and Washington, would be the deciding factor in how the Green Party finished.\n"Every vote for Ralph Nader is a popular vote that counts," she said. "We are urging all our supporters to vote their conscience and help us continue this strong performance and build a new, watchdog third party that will take back our democracy from the monied two-party duopoly."\nNader was optimistic as he talked to Larry King Tuesday night on CNN hours before the final results were tallied.\n"I am expecting a new party with millions of voters. It is too early to tell (how we will do)," Nader said. "We are coming out of this election with millions of votes, as the fastest growing party, and we have become a viable watchdog party. Whatever (the results), I like to be the underdog."\nSophomore Pamela Carr, the coalition coordinator for IU Greens, said she was pleased with the election night results.\n"At this point, I think it shows our party is growing and (it shows) we will be a major influence from now on," Carr said.\nCarr said Nader's numbers should increase, especially in states such as Indiana, where the write-in ballots have not been tallied.\n"I think we will get 2 percent in Indiana, at least," she said.\nAs for today, the Greens turn their attention to making a bigger name for the party, so in 2004 they can mount a formidable challenge to the Republicans and Democrats.\n"We are going to challenge the two parties. This is just the beginning," Nader said.\nCNN.com contributed to this story.