The Other Girl

Robinson's struggles have allowed Carla Howell, the Libertarian candidate, unprecedented exposure and the chance to serve as the underdog candidate to the Kennedy juggernaut.

Howell has already raised $574,381in campaign funds, allowing her to run a substantive campaign effort.

Michael Cloud, a Howell campaign manager, harshly criticizes Kennedy's refusal to debate.

"Senator Kennedy doesn't have enough guts to face us. He's afraid of a Jesse Ventura," Cloud says. "He's ducking every event he can."

Kennedy School Lecturer in Public Policy Marty Linsky says Kennedy's reluctance is indicative of front-runner complacency.

"I'm disappointed...that Kennedy hasn't been willing to debate him, since the risks are so small," Linsky says. "It's very hard to get front-runners to debate."

Cloud says the Howell campaign wants at least three debates, and preferably five.

"When debates occur...voter turnout increases," he says, referring to the 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial race, where Ventura debated and where 63 percent voted, compared to 39 percent nationally. "If we want to keep them involved, we need third-party candidates and we need debates."