I posted a response to this Observer article. It's worth mentioning here to.
This is one of the reasons the LP has so much trouble in NY. Next year we'll be faced with the prospect of producing a candidate for governor who represents either a compromise of party values in order to get the magic number to qualify as a 'party' (50K - even then it's a crap shoot . . . most voters invest in their heart strings and pocket books before long term strategic electoral value) or we'll run one of our faithful, who will be buried in obscurity, no money or name recognition.
The ballot qualified parties (WFP, Conservative & Independence) will gladly squander their opportunity to produce an independent candidate who speaks to their party's 'ideas/interests'. This in order to gain a little influence for some of the key party members, usually in the form of some patronage for delivering the votes.