A previously little-noticed US political figure, Libertarian Gary Johnson, again won his party’s presidential nomination Sunday, drawing new attention to his candidacy at a moment when majorities of Americans have unfavorable opinions about the major party front-runners, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
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Unlike the primary and caucus system used by the Republican and Democratic parties, Libertarian presidential candidates have spent much of the past week debating and wooing delegates, who were free to vote for whomever they choose at the party’s national convention.
But Johnson needed to fend off challengers from more extreme wings of his party, originally falling five votes short of winning the 463 delegates needed for the nomination on the first ballot at the party’s national convention.
Johnson was the party’s nominee in 2012, getting about 1 percent of the general election vote.
With voters potentially looking for a third option and the Libertarian Party gaining widespread access on state ballots for November, the Libertarian Party could be in a coveted position heading into the general election.
He joined the Libertarian party in December 2011 and was nominated as the party’s official Presidential candidate in 2012.
Libertarians advocate reduced spending and taxes, claiming the federal government has become too big. But Johnson argued Weld could bring momentum and fundraising power to the Libertarian ticket, and the delegates obliged him.
Mr Johnson was New Mexico governor from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican after owning one of the state’s largest construction companies.
Libertarian National Committee chair Nicholas Sarwark spoke to press following the nomination process, discussing the Libertarian Party’s outreach and fundraising efforts. This means its nominee will be the only alternative to Trump and Clinton available to all voters in this election. Sarwark said the party had established a “back channel” to the Koch brothers, in the hopes the wealthy libertarian-leaning funders donate to the Libertarian Party.
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The convention at times got rowdy.
