Libertarian Gary Johnson Tries His Luck in Las Vegas
Promises to propose balanced budget within first 100 days, praises Nevada for their chance to legalize marijuana.
Gary Johnson's presidential campaign of actually going places, standing in front of big crowds, and talking continues, moving from Miami on Wednesday to Las Vegas yesterday.
From the Las Vegas Review-Journal's account of his appearance before a "high energy" crowd with his usual framing of wanting to keep government out of the bedroom and the pocketbook:
Johnson told attendants that Libertarianism is about choice, noting he's pro-gay marriage and believes abortions should be the decision of the affected women. He called the death penalty "flawed public policy" and favors legalizing marijuana.
In Nevada, "you have the chance to do it and you're going to do it," Johnson said of the November referendum that could legalize recreational marijuana for users over the age of 21.
They remain hopeful about reaching the Commission on Presidential Debates 15 percent in five polls threshold, even if perhaps not by the first one:
Weld raised the possibility that even if they can't reach the polling benchmark by the first debate, slated for Sept. 26, that if polling continues they could reach eligibility for a later debate. The last presidential debate is slated for Oct. 19 at UNLV.
Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol spokesman Joe Brezny, who ran the Nevada campaign for Mitt Romney's presidential bid four years ago, said Thursday that he's supporting Johnson and Weld and noted of Republicans that he "watched some good people nominate the least electable person in mankind."….
Weld contended to cheers that the fiscal conservatism he and Johnson demonstrated in their gubernatorial tenures is just what's needed in Washington D.C.
Johnson, meanwhile, pledged that if elected, he would present Congress with a balanced budget within the first 100 days of taking the White House.
In other Gary Johnson/Libertarian news:
• Montanan political analysts and watchers think Johnson could easily double his 3 percent from 2012:
Montana voters have shown in past elections that they will support candidates who do not represent the two major political parties.
Just four years ago, Libertarian candidate Dan Cox received 6.5 percent of the vote in Montana's Senate race. Some political analysts speculated his strong showing prevented Republican Denny Rehberg from beating incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat
• If he reaches $10 million in direct campaign donations, he runs the risk of being offered Secret Service protection. A campaign email today says that in just this month so far they've pulled $3 million from 92,000 distinct donors.
• Reporting from the Sun Journal in Maine on the nature of Johnson's appeal and the Libertarian Party's situation in the state. Johnson will be appearing in Maine on August 26:
"It was like he was saying everything in my brain," [Heidi] Sawyer said. "For me, Johnson represents fiscal conservatism, small government, not wasteful spending, a government where more money would go to classrooms and where they'd make sense."
Sawyer, the creator of the popular Lewiston Rocks Facebook page, was intrigued. "Things like that perked my interest," she said.
Sawyer said she's fiscally conservative but socially liberal. She's not opposed to gay marriage. "I don't care about what people do in their bedrooms," she said.
The Libertarian Party isn't about foreign involvement, "fighting wars creating more conflict. I want to make sure we're not putting our nose where it shouldn't be."
So, Sawyer became a Maine state volunteer coordinator for the Libertarian Party…
The Maine L.P. needs to have "10,000 registered voters who are enrolled in the party cast ballots in the General Election, among other provisions in Maine law," to maintain ballot status as an official party, according to the state government.
I reported earlier on Maine's difficult but ultimately successful fight to get on the ballot this year.