Gary Johnson welcomed the news that Donald Trump is now the presumptive Republican nominee.
Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson speaking at the Nullify Now! event in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore cc
Johnson, the former two-term New Mexico governor who is seeking the Libertarian Party nomination, believes that in a race with Trump as the Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee, there will be a path for a third party candidate.
“In November, there will be three candidates on the ballot in all 50 states: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and the Libertarian Party nominee. I hope to be that nominee. With millions of Americans now feeling politically ‘homeless’, a two-term Governor who balanced budgets, cut taxes, cut regulations and truly reduced the size of government may offer the home they are seeking.”
Clinton is the likely Democratic candidate. She holds a commanding lead over Sanders in delegates.
Johnson said that neither Trump nor Clinton will be a “small government candidate” which will give him the opening.
He also called them “two of the most polarizing candidates in recent history.”
Clinton and Trump both have very low favorability ratings—numbers that would be historically low for nominees of a major political party.
In other words, Johnson is courting the #NeverTrump and #NeverClinton folks (though even the most staunch ‘Never Trump’ folks are already beginning to weaken).
Johnson’s statement came Tuesday night after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz suspended his campaign; Johnson said that “fought hard, and for that he deserves credit, regardless of whether one agreed with him on the issues or not.”
Reports came that Ohio Gov. John Kasich will suspend his campaign Wednesday afternoon.
This would leave Trump alone in the race ahead of the Republican National Convention this summer.
Both the Democratic and Republican primaries take place on June 7.
