Pay Attention To Libertarian Gary Johnson; He’s Pulling 10 Percent vs. Trump And Clinton

[Quixote1818]

FiveThirtyEight

By Clare Malone

Gary Johnson might be on the verge of becoming a household name.

At the moment, he’s probably most often confused with that plumber who fixed your running toilet last month or your spouse’s weird friend from work who keeps calling the landline, but he’s neither — he’s the former governor of New Mexico, likely Libertarian candidate for president, and he’s polling at 10 percent in two recently released national polls against Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.



A Morning Consult survey published Tuesday and found Clinton getting 38 percent of the vote, Trump 35 and Johnson 10, with 17 percent undecided. A Fox News poll conducted from May 14-17 showed Trump leading over Clinton, 42 percent to 39 percent, but Johnson at 10 percent as well. Lest you think this is some fluky May development, a Monmouth University survey conducted in mid-March — while the political universe was still busy wringing its hands over the Republican nomination — found that in a three-way race, Clinton would get 42 percent, Trump 34 percent and Johnson 11 percent.

Given that Trump and Clinton are sporting historically high negative ratings, Johnson’s polling makes a fair bit of sense; Gary Johnson is neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton. He might not win a state, but he could make some noise.

More: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/pay-attention-to-libertarian-gary-johnson-hes-pulling-10-vs-trump-and-clinton/?ex_cid=538fb

Also, there is talk that David Koch may pledge tens of millions to his campaign.

[merrily]

1. Koch's preference is Libertarian. I would not be surprised if he approached him and Weld to run.

He was not happy with Trump. In any event, they are likelier to take votes from Trump, I think.

[drray23]

2. if he makes 10 percent

its important for the libertarian party. This automatically qualify them for the next cycle to field a candidate without having to gather signatures in every state. I believe this also allows them to draw federal election funds for their campaign.
I think he is much more likely to pull votes from Trump than Hillary.

[Person 2713]

3. This is why the Koch funding A party gets its foot in the election door for next time if he pulls %

[Scientific]

4. Is this a fact?

Are the Kochs really funding Johnson's campaign?

[Person 2713]

5. Fact is Johnson has not even secured the nomination yet in his party and the leak from his staff

unverified but Trump is a nightmare to Koch libertarian free market plans for the US. With enough Trump haters around it is fact an opportunity like this funding could bring the party forward with enough votes nationwide
The leak:
Billionaire businessman and philanthropist David Koch has pledged “tens of millions of dollars” to help bankroll the campaign of Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, according to a source within Johnson’s campaign.

Koch’s money will be made available should Johnson, a former two-term Republican governor of New Mexico, secure his second consecutive Libertarian Party presidential nomination, the source said…

While David Koch, and his brother Charles, are frequently associated with Republican and conservative causes, David was the Libertarian Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 1980. He also sits on the board of the Cato Institute, the nation’s most prominent libertarian-oriented think tank.

[bigwillq]

6. Cool. I like democracy.

Let the people decide. May the best man or woman, Indy, D or R win. I don't want Rs to win, but I support democracy. If that's what the people decide, then it is what it is. I hope Mr. Johnson is able to debate. The more the merrier, imo.

[gollygee]

7. This is who my Republican brother is voting for. N/t

[snooper2]

8. where the far left and the far right meet...vote for the idiot!

[whatthehey]

9. Likely more from Trump though, with no EV votes going to him

So in other words, no problem.

[HughBeaumont]

10. Horrible Draconian economics, no social safety net and Koch-favoring tax structure . . .

. . . but hey, at least your weed will be legal!

You'll probably have to grow your own, though . . .