NEW YORK (PNN) - September 4, 2012 - A new Zogby poll suggests that Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson could throw the presidential election to illegitimate President Barack Obama, with the anti-government candidate taking enough votes from Mitt Romney to give Obama a narrow edge.

In a survey of 798 likely voters conducted August 31 through September 3, Zogby found that if Johnson’s name was not mentioned, Obama and Romney were basically tied, with Obama receiving 43.8% of the vote, Romney getting 43.5%, and 12.7% undecided.

But throw Johnson’s name in and the numbers shift toward Obama in a way that could swing what is expected to be one of the closest elections ever.

Obama now gets 42.7% of the vote compared to 41% for Romney, with 4.3% backing Johnson and 12% unsure.

Libertarians are one of the core Republican groups and among the most likely to stick with their preferred candidate on the basis of principle. Support is massive among Libertarians for Libertarian hero and Republican presidential primary candidate Rep. Ron Paul (Texas). Johnson, the former New Mexico governor who ran unsuccessfully in the GOP primaries, is clearly targeting the Paul vote.

A video that pops up when accessing Johnson’s campaign web site sounds more like a plug for Ron Paul than Gary Johnson.

“His efforts have changed Amerika,” says Johnson of Paul. “Ron Paul is right.”

Johnson suggests it’s okay to use his candidacy as a protest vote, saying, “Together we’ll send the unmistakable message Ron Paul’s revolution isn’t a fluke, it’s the future.”

Johnson could play a role similar to that of Ralph Nader in 2000, when the Green Party candidate may have taken enough votes in Florida from Al Gore to hand George W. Bush the state and the election.