Nader has been credited for taking enough votes in Florida during the 2000 election from former Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore to allow Republican candidate George W. Bush to win the state and the presidency.

Still, Benjamin Kleinerman, an assistant professor at James Madison College and a national political expert, said the political scene has changed too much for Nader to have an effect on this year’s election.

“I think in 2000 it really did look like there wasn’t much of a difference between Al Gore and George W. Bush,” Kleinerman said.

“A lot of people were excited about Nader as a real difference between the two candidates. But that’s not the political landscape anymore.”

Another part of the reason Nader won’t attract as many voters is the message of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Kleinerman said.

Obama has capitalized on a youth vote that was the cornerstone of Nader’s 2000 campaign, he said.

Steve Ross, Midwest regional coordinator of Students for Barack Obama, said he isn’t worried about Nader.

“Barack Obama is going to be able to draw in Republican and independent supporters, much like he has been doing, and unite the Democratic base behind him,” he said.

“We will have more than enough support.”

Bonnie Bucqueroux, a new media instructor for the MSU School of Journalism, ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on the Green Party ticket in 2000.

Similarly to Nader, Bucqueroux’s 3,484 Eighth District votes might have caused Democratic candidate Dianne Byrum to lose to Republican Mike Rogers by 152 votes.

But despite Bucqueroux and Nader’s similar histories and party affiliations, Bucqueroux said she wouldn’t vote for Nader, who she helped bring to MSU’s Fairchild Theatre in 2000.

“I just am very excited at the candidacy of Barack Obama,” she said.

“Our best shot at a better future is Barack Obama.”