Politico recently reported that Governor Gary Johnson could actually be drawing a statistically significant amount of support from the major parties. Johnson, who is running on the Libertarian ticket, has previously run for public office on a Republican ticket, but most recently served as New Mexico's Independent governor. He spent 10 years as governor in that state, during which he enjoyed exceptionally high approval ratings. Now, recent polls are showing that his run for president as a Libertarian poses more of a threat to the mainstream race than originally anticipated.
Politico recently reported that in at least one state, Nevada, Johnson is pulling voters from the Obama camp. Other news sources, such as CNN's PoliticalTicker are saying that he hurts the GOP more than the Democrats, overall. (Although, Reince Priebus, the RNC chairman, says that Johnson is an "almost a nonfactor.")
Politico adds that this discrepancy in influence could come from geographic location, "It's plausible that Johnson could lower support for Obama — especially out west. For example, Johnson — the only pro-pot candidate on the ballot — is running along side as a marijuana legalization initiative in libertarian-leaning Colorado — a state that is definitely in play." The Tucson Citizen echos this concern, citing Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico as states that could see effects at the polls.
Gary Johnson recently put out a new ad calling on "everyone with a vote and an axe to grind," including Tea Partiers, Constitutionalists, Greens, Democrats, and Republicans, to "end the two party system."
The PPP, or Public Policy Polling, has show Johnson gaining percentages in the polls. He holds approximately 3% in Nevada and recently gained in Montana, with 6% total. While the numbers might not seem like something Johnson should cheer about, they are significant and have the chance of upsetting projected outcomes in the states in which he is included on the ballot.
