Gary Johnson eyes political reform with Libertarian Party
By Grace DeLauro
During the Oct. 9 presidential debate, Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton stood opposite each other on stage, their banter televised for all of America to see. On the same night, Gov. Gary Johnson sat opposite his computer as he took to Twitter to express his own thoughts and opinions to his 370,000 followers.
“We have too much work to do for our country to be distracted with these scandal-plagued candidates. America can do better,” he tweeted. The “better” option that he is referring to is none other than himself. Johnson is running in this presidential race as well.
Johnson served two terms as governor of New Mexico, from 1995–2002. In those days he operated under the Republican Party. During both his initial election and his reelection, he beat out highly favored Democratic candidates by a sizeable margin.
After taking a break from political office in 2003, Johnson reappeared for the 2012 election when he ran for president as a Republican with Libertarian ideals. Eventually, he withdrew from the Republican race and sought the Libertarian nomination, which he later won at the Libertarian National Convention in May 2012. In the following November’s presidential election, Johnson went on to receive more raw votes than any other Libertarian candidate in history, according to United Press International.
For the 2016 election season, Johnson bypassed running as a Republican entirely. Along with his running mate Bill Weld, Johnson announced Jan. 6 that he would be making a bid for the top of the Libertarian ticket. He won the nomination in May.
In the five months since, Johnson’s campaign has steadily gained ground, but tapered off in October. According to RealClear Politics, his poll numbers rose to 13 percent in September, as measured by CNN, narrowly missing the 15 percent requirement for a third-party candidate to join the televised presidential debates. The last—and only—third party candidate to do that was Ross Perot in 1992.
Supporters of Johnson made a strong push to override the numerical requirement by tweeting up a storm, until the hashtag #letgarydebate trended nationally on Twitter.
Former Assistant Sate Director for Johnson/Weld 2016, Paul Andrews, explains that the polling tactics used to explain Johnson’s exclusion from debates are faulty. “The most recent CNN poll discounted polling data from those under the age of 49 because they did not poll enough of them. So, approximately 50 percent of the voting population is not counted in the polling data. Younger voters, which are Gary’s strength, are not counted.”
After disappointment over not being included in the September debate, Johnson stated his “plan to be on stage in October,” though this proved unattainable as well.
Supporters, however, did not give up. Andrews said he had “a lot of faith” that Johnson would be permitted in the third and final debate. However, it was not meant to be.
After that disappointment, Ryan Holstein, the Ohio state director for Johnson/Weld 2016, said, “All we can do is keep making phone calls and keep knocking on doors to educate voters.”
Despite missing out on the debates, Johnson has garnered more support and recognition than many third-party candidates in the past. Not all the attention has been favorable. In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” anchor, Johnson was asked “What would you do about [war-torn Syrian city] Aleppo?” if elected.
Johnson’s response, “What is Aleppo?” prompted numerous news headlines and articles claiming him unfit to be president.
In defense of Johnson, Holstein argues, “Aleppo was only a controversy for people who weren’t going to vote for Gary Johnson anyway. … The vast majority of Americans had no idea” what Aleppo was.
Andrews stresses the importance of viewing the interview in its entirety, emphasizing that Johnson did indeed show a deep knowledge of the Syrian conflict, but was merely thrown off by the initial question.
As a Libertarian candidate, Johnson categorizes himself as a someone who is fiscally conservative and socially liberal. True to his party, Johnson emphasizes the importance of civil freedoms and liberties.
The 2016 election campaign has been fraught with controversy. Democratic nominee Clinton was at the center of the Benghazi email scandal while Republican nominee Trump continually offended many voters with various offensive statements, most significantly in a 2005 audio tape of him speaking derogatorily about women and admitting he had repeatedly committed sexual assault.
Johnson offers himself as a viable third option with the slogan “Make America Sane Again” as a play on Trump’s “Make America Great Again.”
Both Holstine and Andrews say that honesty is Johnson’s greatest strength. “Most politicians lie or deflect in regards to their gaffes and issues. Not Gary,” Andrews explains. Holstine points out that honesty is “a rare commodity in politics”.
With Johnson’s poll numbers at the highest of an independent candidate since Perot, according to an October CNN poll, many Americans seem to agree.
Third party candidates aren’t always looked upon favorably. When Ralph Nader ran under the Green Party banner in 2000 and garnered 2.74 percent of the vote, many accused him of “spoiling” the election and aiding George W. Bush’s victory. There is currently talk of Johnson possibly causing the same type of situation, though it is unclear which candidate’s camp he would draw from. Supporters are quick to point out that a vote for Johnson is just that, a vote for Johnson. Andrews argues, “The worst narrative is that voting for Johnson is a vote for Hillary or Trump.”
Supporters say that Johnson has the potential to ignite change in a rigid and divided party system. Such change was inspired in the 1800s, when the Republican Party rose from the ashes of Martin Van Buren’s third-party candidacy. When asked if they thought a similar reformation was possible with Johnson, Andrews and Holstine both agreed that it was.
“Democrats and Republicans have lost sight of what is important to Americans,” Holstein added, while Andrews predicted, “This is a movement that will continue to grow.”
With just weeks month until the election, Johnson is not slowing down. His supporters forge ahead, undeterred by the naysayers who accuse the independent party of disrupting the current system. In Holstine’s words,
“The only wasted vote is the vote that is not made for the candidate that you believe in.”
