"The governor who got rid of 1,200 state employees, vetoed 750 bills and left New Mexico with a billion-dollar budget surplus is not Republican enough for the GOP."

Ben Montgomery of The St. Petersburg Times interviews Gary Johnson for a piece that could one day serve as the governor's letter of resignation from the GOP (also, you should click through for the photo alone): 

The wildly popular former two-term governor of New Mexico, who lost part of his toe to frostbite climbing Mount Everest on a broken leg, has been excluded from 15 of 17 presidential debates.

The 58 year old who was elected governor in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1 has virtually disappeared from major political polling. The governor who got rid of 1,200 state employees, vetoed 750 bills and left New Mexico with a billion-dollar budget surplus is not Republican enough for the GOP.

"They won't return my calls," he said.

That's why he thinks you've probably never heard of Gary Johnson. Even if he grew a handyman business in Albuquerque from scratch to 1,000 employees. Even if he has ridden his bike across mountain ranges. Even if some see him as an electable version of Ron Paul.

"The Republican National Committee has turned their backs on a message that appeals more and more to the American public," he said.

Also noteworthy: Johnson's Clearwater meet-and-greet was hosted by the Libertarian Party of Florida. Read the whole thing.