4 ms·

The Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson might set a record this year for highest votes attained by a third party candidate.

harryh 10y ago
Perot got 18.9% of the popular vote in 1992. Gonna be tough to beat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1992 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_ele...
- dforrestwilson 10y ago
  That was before the Republican party ran completely off the rails, and embraced the old white scared vote.
  - harryh 10y ago
    True. Not saying it can't happen. I just think it's unlikely. I think Johnson is currently polling somewhere around 10%? I guess the big hurdle will be getting in the debates like Perot did. Not sure what the current rules are for that.
  - stcredzero 10y ago
    I think you underestimate the size of the "precariat" that feels it's on a trajectory towards becoming economically and culturally disenfranchised. The educated elites are quite disconnected with the population from the lower half of the "middle class" and downward. Look at what's happening in the Internet driven media of today. The lion's share of the volume online is outrage politics. It's the young and economically squeezed vote you need to keep track of, both on the right and left. Trump and Sanders both knew this.
- anonymousguy 10y ago
  He is at 13% now and needs only to be at 15% to enter the national spotlight of increased media coverage and access to the general debates. His polling numbers are increasing with a notable momentum as general support of the Republican candidate and Democratic candidate are both at all time lows. As long as the majority of voters think of Trump as a broke racist narcissist and Clinton as an apathetic or unethical elitist he may well have a chance. http://heatst.com/politics/gary-johnsons-polling-numbers-reach-all-time-high/ http://heatst.com/politics/gary-johnsons-polling-numbers-rea...
  - harryh 10y ago
    13% huh? That's a bit better than I thought. Definitely sounds like he has a shot of making it to 15%. I'm all for it. I'd love to have him in the debates. I really liked this ad they made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHEpTh3kqR8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHEpTh3kqR8
  - SilasX 10y ago
    To save everyone else the click: I had heard the 13% figure before, but it was for favorable demographics (like younger people or Bernie supporters), so I was expecting the link to contradict you. But no, the 13% was one poll's result for Johnson's general support, not simply a favorable demographic for him.
partisan 10y ago
The other clowns who ran for the Libertarian party nomination make it really hard to take Gary Johnson seriously. That he is their candidate really just says he meets the very, very low bar that was set by the other candidates.
- dforrestwilson 10y ago
  A two-time governor running with another two-time governor as his VP? Both former Republicans overwhelmingly re-elected in Democratic states? Both fiscally conservative and socially liberal? I take that pretty seriously.
  - davidw 10y ago
    He seems like a better guy than Trump for sure in that he has actual experience in government.
  - scruple 10y ago
    Not to mention that, while I do not personally agree with Gary Johnson on many (I consistently score the lowest with him on the I side with quiz) of his policies, it's hard to ignore that quite a few of the policies he has enacted as Governor have actually worked quite well. Admittedly, I have not researched this much. I simply haven't had time this summer and when I did look at this, back in May, it didn't look like he'd get to 15%.
- Uhhrrr 10y ago
  Both he and his running mate (Bill Weld) are 2-term governors. I don't know why their primary opponents McAfee or Petersen would detract from that. Are you under the impression that they chose their opponents?
xiaoma 10y ago
Teddy Roosevelt got a winning percentage.
mark_l_watson 10y ago
Who has the better chance of hitting 15% and getting into the debates, Johnson or Jill Stein? Honest question, in case I am ever polled I want to choose the most likely alternative.
- Miner49er 10y ago
  Looking at some recent polls, it looks like Johnson is polling around 10% and Stein around 5%, so I would say Johnson.

harryh 10y ago

Perot got 18.9% of the popular vote in 1992. Gonna be tough to beat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1992 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_ele...

dforrestwilson 10y ago
That was before the Republican party ran completely off the rails, and embraced the old white scared vote.
- harryh 10y ago
  True. Not saying it can't happen. I just think it's unlikely. I think Johnson is currently polling somewhere around 10%? I guess the big hurdle will be getting in the debates like Perot did. Not sure what the current rules are for that.
- stcredzero 10y ago
  I think you underestimate the size of the "precariat" that feels it's on a trajectory towards becoming economically and culturally disenfranchised. The educated elites are quite disconnected with the population from the lower half of the "middle class" and downward. Look at what's happening in the Internet driven media of today. The lion's share of the volume online is outrage politics. It's the young and economically squeezed vote you need to keep track of, both on the right and left. Trump and Sanders both knew this.
anonymousguy 10y ago
He is at 13% now and needs only to be at 15% to enter the national spotlight of increased media coverage and access to the general debates. His polling numbers are increasing with a notable momentum as general support of the Republican candidate and Democratic candidate are both at all time lows. As long as the majority of voters think of Trump as a broke racist narcissist and Clinton as an apathetic or unethical elitist he may well have a chance. http://heatst.com/politics/gary-johnsons-polling-numbers-reach-all-time-high/ http://heatst.com/politics/gary-johnsons-polling-numbers-rea...
- harryh 10y ago
  13% huh? That's a bit better than I thought. Definitely sounds like he has a shot of making it to 15%. I'm all for it. I'd love to have him in the debates. I really liked this ad they made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHEpTh3kqR8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHEpTh3kqR8
- SilasX 10y ago
  To save everyone else the click: I had heard the 13% figure before, but it was for favorable demographics (like younger people or Bernie supporters), so I was expecting the link to contradict you. But no, the 13% was one poll's result for Johnson's general support, not simply a favorable demographic for him.

partisan 10y ago

The other clowns who ran for the Libertarian party nomination make it really hard to take Gary Johnson seriously. That he is their candidate really just says he meets the very, very low bar that was set by the other candidates.

dforrestwilson 10y ago
A two-time governor running with another two-time governor as his VP? Both former Republicans overwhelmingly re-elected in Democratic states? Both fiscally conservative and socially liberal? I take that pretty seriously.
- davidw 10y ago
  He seems like a better guy than Trump for sure in that he has actual experience in government.
- scruple 10y ago
  Not to mention that, while I do not personally agree with Gary Johnson on many (I consistently score the lowest with him on the I side with quiz) of his policies, it's hard to ignore that quite a few of the policies he has enacted as Governor have actually worked quite well. Admittedly, I have not researched this much. I simply haven't had time this summer and when I did look at this, back in May, it didn't look like he'd get to 15%.
Uhhrrr 10y ago
Both he and his running mate (Bill Weld) are 2-term governors. I don't know why their primary opponents McAfee or Petersen would detract from that. Are you under the impression that they chose their opponents?

xiaoma 10y ago

Teddy Roosevelt got a winning percentage.

mark_l_watson 10y ago

Who has the better chance of hitting 15% and getting into the debates, Johnson or Jill Stein? Honest question, in case I am ever polled I want to choose the most likely alternative.

Miner49er 10y ago
Looking at some recent polls, it looks like Johnson is polling around 10% and Stein around 5%, so I would say Johnson.