Third-party candidates take heat

Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson is taking heat from Democrats who say he’ll be to blame if Republican Donald Trump wins the White House.

Johnson has picked up hundreds of thousands of votes in key swing states – most notably, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and New Hampshire — after pitching himself as an alternative to both Trump and Hillary Clinton this year.

Trump critics have taken to social media to vent their frustrations about Trump’s stunning upset, with some casting blame on Johnson or Green Party candidate Jill Stein for potentially undermining Clinton’s hopes.

Johnson won a total of a total of 137,947 votes in Pennsylvania, as of early Wednesday. Trump leads Clinton by 50,931 votes in that state, with about 99 percent of precincts reporting.

In Michigan, Johnson won 146,282 votes. Trump holds a narrow lead of 78,498 votes in the state.

Trump’s lead is 87,185 votes in Wisconsin – a state where Johnson has secured 98,790 votes.

The closest presidential contest is in New Hampshire, where Johnson won 26,029 votes, as of 1:30 a.m. Clinton leads in New Hampshire by about 3,531 votes.

Johnson was on the ballot in every state, while Stein was either on the ballot, or eligible for a write-in, in 48 states.

Clinton supporters argued that votes for Johnson’s and Stein’s support may otherwise have gone to Clinton, especially in the battleground states. Republicans have fought back that some third-party voters may have voted for Trump over Clinton.

The Democrats’ criticism is reminiscent of 2000, when Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was accused of robbing Democratic candidate Al Gore of a victory.

With several states left uncalled, the national voting percentages for Johnson, Stein and other-third party candidates in 2016 is about 4.7 percent – almost twice as much as Nader’s in 2000.

Here’s a sampling of the backlash:

Fuck you @DrJillStein fuck you #garyjohnson and a beautifully big fuck you to their voters.

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) November 9, 2016

Reminder: Some democrats might vote for Trump. Some might vote for Gary Johnson. It's not all Jill Stein's fault!

— Matt Saccaro (@MattSaccaro) November 9, 2016

When does YG's "Fuck Gary Johnson" track drop?

(Sorry, had to try a joke)

— Nick Miller (@NickMiller510) November 9, 2016

IF DONALD TRUMP WINS IT IS LITERALLY GARY JOHNSON'S FAULT

— Ashly Perez (@itsashlyperez) November 9, 2016

To all of the people who voted for Gary Johnson:
1. Who are you?
2. What the hell were you thinking?
3. Please leave.

— Leanne Aguilera (@leanneaguilera) November 9, 2016

Gary Johnson.

THANKS, BRO.

REALLY appreciate you leeching off hundreds & thousands of votes & giving Trump definitive leads.

YOU FUCK.

— Joe Carnahan (@carnojoe) November 9, 2016

If you live in Florida and voted for Gary Johnson you can honestly go fuck yourself.

— Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) November 9, 2016

I'm pretty certain everyone is on the same page here, but if you voted for Gary Johnson, go fuck yourself. Especially is you live in Florida

— Andrew Rannells (@AndrewRannells) November 9, 2016