General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWill Gary Johnson qualify for the debates?
He is now over 10% in two recent polls:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton_vs_johnson-5949.html
He needs to be at 15% in an average of polls by around Labor Day to be included.
No third party candidate has qualified since Perot in 1992. It would definitely be an interesting dynamic.
If Johnson catches some sort of fire, it could be devastating for Trump, and Hillary could start winning red states, especially out West, with vote totals in the mid 40% range.
bigdarryl
(13,190 posts)He's a former republican .
tritsofme
(17,376 posts)Hillary could be looking at a yuuuuge electoral college landslide.
bigdarryl
(13,190 posts)ProfessorGAC
(65,000 posts)Given the platform, it seems hard to believe that anybody who would ever vote for Johnson even considered HRC.
former9thward
(31,986 posts)They show that Johnson either draws evenly or slightly more from Clinton. There is no evidence that supports the view of the OP that Johnson would draw everything or even most from Trump.
Chiyo-chichi
(3,579 posts)He said it again on Colbert this week.
I've no idea what poll it is from or if it is accurate.
Bill Weld, on Colbert with Johnson, said he thought they'd take more votes from Trump.
TwilightZone
(25,467 posts)He's a conservative and a right-libertarian. There's little reason to believe he's going to pull more from the left than the right.
TwilightZone
(25,467 posts)Outside of a few issues, he's still pretty conservative.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)The more voices, the better, imo
OnDoutside
(19,954 posts)Trump is able to hide amongst the crowd, and Johnson is such a scatterbrain, he'd be aiming at Hillary as much as Trump. I want a one on one debate, so the Orange One has no where to hide.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)I support democracy. If Johnson gets the necessary poll#s, then he should debate. I'll let the people decide.
OnDoutside
(19,954 posts)Will of people or non-thinking sheep ? Sheeple as it were...
Turin_C3PO
(13,964 posts)Feel the Johnson! 😂
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)be rather selective in choosing my victims, though.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)stopbush
(24,396 posts)His special moment passed the second Hillary secured the nomination.
The focus is now where it should be: on Hillary and Trump.
SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)But he should. Put the Greens and the Libertarians in.
Reter
(2,188 posts)Then, in addition to Republicans and Democrats, you have the extreme left (Greens), extreme right (Constitution Party), and anarchists (Libertarians). And one fun debate.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)ashtonelijah
(340 posts)Their platforms demands public funding for homeopathy, they deny GMOs science and promote GMO alarmism, they are made up of the folks that think chemtrails are a thing, and they are anti-fluoride.
They looney toons.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Though I've never come across Greens who fret about chemtrails or fluoride. I have come across Democrats who believe in such. Not to mention Democrats who collaborate with Republicans, believe in creationism, are pro choice, think GMOs are toxic, (I think they should be labeled), support the NSA, don't support a $15 minimum wage, consider fracking necessary, are funded by Wall Street and corporations, support "free trade", support charter schools, and condemn socialism.
Which is "loonier"?
ashtonelijah
(340 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Are you against homeopathy and science?
ashtonelijah
(340 posts)snooper2
(30,151 posts)roamer65
(36,745 posts)It will come from both sides of the spectrum. Sorry, but both Trumpf and Hillary have high negative ratings.
quaker bill
(8,224 posts)for a Libertarian. This year is quirky enough, so maybe.
TipTok
(2,474 posts)HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)I wouldn't vote for a Libertarian if you paid me, but I certainly encourage every disgruntled Republican to do so.
TacoD
(581 posts)surrealAmerican
(11,360 posts)FSogol
(45,480 posts)yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)Only candidate to actually have the nomination in hand.
tblue37
(65,336 posts)attract more disaffected Republicans than Democrats, especially since both held high ranking elected offices as GOP governors. Also, both complain loudly about how the current GOP is not about small government but about controlling what people do in their bedrooms. I think they could help Hillary just as Ross Perot helped Bill. They will draw the GOP youth the same way Ron Paul did, too, I hope.
No doubt they will attract *some* BoB voters, but mostly I think (hope) they hurt the GOP. I imagine that's what Colbert thinks, too, and that is why he had them on, to boost their chance of pulling votes from the GOP.
TeamPooka
(24,221 posts)tonyt53
(5,737 posts)Warpy
(111,249 posts)and Trump will be losing a lot of chumps by then, I think.
This will be the first election that Libertarians will do well in. As for Johnson, the best thing I can say about him is that he didn't screw things up here during his 8 years.
The dynamic would not favor Trump, two qualified people who know what the job entails facing a blustering blowhard who is at heart a toddler demanding a new binkie.
TwilightZone
(25,467 posts)after the conventions. He'll be in the low single digits by late summer and get 1-2% in November.
tritsofme
(17,376 posts)With Johnson ending up playing a major spoiler role, especially out West.
Separation
(1,975 posts)Wow, he is a pretty goofy guy. Goofy may not be the right word Im looking for, maybe free spirit. I loved one of his answers. If elected I promise not to partake in smoking weed, or something along those lines.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)Who plan on voting for him.
And one person who is liberal but really does not vote will. But his lifestyle is pretty much about smoking weed.