The nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates invited both Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, and Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, to debate at Hofstra University in NY on September 26. Johnson, a former Republican governor of New Mexico who is polling in double digits in many state polls, reached 8.4 percent and Stein reached 3.2 percent.
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The commission, citing the averages the various candidates have achieved in selected polls, confirmed that Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton had met the criteria. So far, very little consideration-from the media, the public in general or anyone else-has been given to the next two viable candidates as far as poll numbers go-Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Jill Stein of the Green Party.
The Libertarian party ticket is receiving 9% support nationally, according to CNN’s latest Poll of Polls.
“Well, first of all, just grateful that nobody got hurt”, Johnson said.
The chance of Johnson and Stein debating this fall have not been completely eliminated, however.
In a full-page ad in the New York Times, the Libertarian Party ticket pointed to others which tell a different story, including an August 25 Quinnipiac University poll in which 62 percent of voters said they wanted Gov. Johnson included in the debates.
The commission said that the third-party candidates may still be eligible for the second and third debates in October if they meet the threshold closer to those dates.
There also will be other presidential nominees on ballots across the nation. Clinton’s unfavorability rating stands at 55 percent, according to the RCP average; Trump’s is at 58 percent.
The biggest case for adding Johnson to the debates is that so many American voters are desperate for another option.
Conservative third-party candidate Evan McMullin has not yet been included in a nation-wide poll, despite his likely inclusion on around 40 state ballots. Perot didn’t even have the nine percent that Johnson has right now, showing that 15 percent to not be a strict rule to the commission. “We’re in this for the long haul”.
“We’re going to alter the course of this election, whether or not we’re in the debates”, he said.
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Gary Johnson speaks to supporters and delegates at the National Libertarian Party Convention, in Orlando, Fla.in May.
