Although Trump and Clinton are (near) certainties, not so certain are Libertarian Party candidate and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein.
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“With a majority of Americans wanting a choice other than Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, today we now know for certain that on Election Day, every voter in America will have that alternative option”, Mr. Johnson said in a statement Tuesday evening.
Jill Stein, the Green Party’s presidential nominee, now polls at an average of 2.9 percent nationally.
The commission also said that the October 4 vice presidential debate at Longwood University in Farmville will only include Sen.
In 2016, this would mean four candidates in the debates, including Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Stein and Johnson.
For Johnson and Stein supporters, there is good news: The commission agreed to reevaluate both candidates prior to the next two presidential debates, according to Politico. Johnson’s running mate is former Gov. Bill Weld of MA. However, in the five polls the commission used to determine the lineup, his average wasn’t enough.
It’s also a point of distinction among the field of independent and third-party candidates vying for the White House in the 2016 election. The commission will run the numbers on its polls two more times and could potentially invite them to the second or third debates if their support swells.
Johnson hopes to appeal to voters who are dissatisfied with both of the major party nominees. Johnson was at 8.4 percent and Stein at 3.2 percent. Johnson cites polling data that find 62 percent of those queried said they support his inclusion in the debate.
“The [Commission on Presidential Debates] may scoff at a ticket that enjoys “only” 9 or 10% in their hand-selected polls, but even 9% represents 13 million voters, more than the total population of OH and most other states”.
Stein said in a statement that she plans to show up with “hundreds” of supporters outside the event.
Last month, the commission suggested the announcement would come in mid-September, ahead of the first debate scheduled for Sept. 26 at Hofstra University.
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I would say I am surprised that the CPD has chosen to exclude me from the first debate, but I’m not.
