This election cycle has been a unique experience thus far. We have demagogues as potential candidates, the FBI is suddenly subjective, and Socialism has been rehashed without its negative connotations. Not only that, but the two main political parties have become inefficient at representing the political diversity of America, with the Green and Libertarian Parties growing in the cracks between the Democratic and Republican Parties.
Gary Johnson is the governor from New Mexico who represents the Libertarian Party.
Johnson has the potential to represent frustrated Millennials and the Republican Party that has become foreign to their political sensibilities. According to a new poll, Johnson is actually ahead of Donald Trump – the presumptive Republican nominee.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows that Johnson polls at 22 percent among those under 30, one point ahead of Donald Trump, according to Bustle.
Even though this one point is potentially within the margin of error, it is still embarrassing for the established Republican Party to be slighted by a political party that is relatively new to Millennials.
Who’s Gary Johnson?
A former Republican, Johnson served as the 29th governor of New Mexico. He first announced his candidacy for president in April 2011, quickly withdrawing in December of that same year due to failure to gain traction. Once again, Johnson announced his candidacy in January 2016, winning the Libertarian nomination in May 2016.
Johnson is akin to a Republican that isn’t as uptight. He is for individual states legalizing marijuana, and calling out the government’s lack of transparency when it comes to domestic surveillance programs, and he’s with many Libertarians calling to drop charges against Chelsea Manning.
A social liberal, Johnson’s philosophy is founded on limited government and non-interventionism of our military forces.
Johnson has been able to attract those on the left and the right due to his sensible views – he has been able to cut taxes and has been named the “original tea party candidate” by political pundits, while aligning himself with classically liberal ideologies.
Watch this video for an overview of the political ideology known as Libertarianism:
