Yes, they can...back a third party

Wes, I want to answer your question with a resounding YES.  As New Hampshire's youth split across the GOP slate (between Paul, Huntsman and Romney), the opportunity for young people, now and beyond the primary cycle, to channel their energies via a third-party campaign is ripe as ever.

First, to the New Hampshire polls, where Romney was the victor but failed once again to beat the 40 percent threshold.

In the conventional political power structure, young people too frequently feel disenfranchised, a rampant excuse for not participating in the electoral process. According to Medill Reports (Chicago), the Iowa caucus youth turnout was "down considerably." 

According to research compiled by The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, only 4 percent of eligible voters under the age of 30 participated in this year’s caucusus, down considerably from the 13 percent participating in 2008.

That is an indisputably disconcerting figure. Moreover, it only fuels further speculation about the new paradigm you describe...for many young people, a last hope for progress. (This could take the form of a Paul campaign, another Perot-style rebel candidacy, a Bloomberg-Huntsman unity ticket, or something we have yet to conceive of...)

In New Hampshire, there is not yet specific youth-centric data from the state's voter registration. Overall turnout was expected to be record-breaking, but, at this hour, it appears this year's vote will not rival 2008's.

The conservative news source Newsmax reports: "Of the 9 percent of New Hampshire voters ages 18 to 24, Paul grabbed 47 percent of the vote with Romney at 26, Huntsman at 14, Santorum at 7 and Gingrich at 3."

Tomorrow morning, there will likely be more precise reporting, but what do you make of these numbers, Wes...for the candidates - and their youthful followers?