Libertarians Pick Their Nominee

2012 nominee Gary Johnson gets another shot as third-party candidate
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 29, 2016 1:01 PM CDT
Libertarians Pick Their Nominee
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson speaks to supporters and delegates at the National Libertarian Party Convention, Friday, May 27, 2016, in Orlando, Fla.   (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Libertarian Party has nominated former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson as its presidential candidate, and if his name rings a bell, that's because he was the party's nominee in 2012, reports the AP. Delegates to the party's convention in Orlando on Sunday picked Johnson on the second ballot over Austin Petersen, the founder of the Libertarian Republic magazine, and John McAfee, sometime fugitive and founder of the eponymous anti-virus company. Johnson hit 49.5% of votes in the first round, which CNN notes was just short of the majority needed; he sealed the deal in the second round with 55.8%.

Johnson got about 1% of the popular vote in 2012. But the party is hoping for a strong showing in November because of the deep unpopularity polls show for presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The 63-year-old Johnson was governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican. (More Libertarian Party stories.)

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