Gary Johnson drops GOP presidential bid to run as Libertarian (who?)

Gary Johnson drops GOP presidential bid to run as Libertarian (who?)

The Hill ^ | Dec. 28, 2011 | Alicia M. Cohn

Posted on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 11:43:14 AM by markomalley

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Gary Johnson officially announced on Wednesday that he is leaving the Republican party in order to run as a third party Libertarian candidate for president.

The expected announcement was reported earlier this month, although Johnson’s campaign was not prepared to make the move at the time.

“Frankly, I have been deeply disappointed by the treatment I received in the Republican nomination process,” Johnson said in a statement released by his presidential campaign. He named GOP candidates Herman Cain, Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman, saying they have “no national name identification” yet are allowed to participate in debates.

Johnson’s campaign has complained in the past when the candidate failed to meet the requirements to participate in televised GOP debates.

Johnson acknowledged in his announcement that he is not the only self-avowed Libertarian in the race. “While Ron Paul is a good man and a libertarian who I proudly endorsed for president in 2008, there is no guarantee he will be the Republican nominee,” he said. “If I earn the Libertarian nomination, I will be on the ballot in all 50 states. I will not be held hostage to a system rigged for the wealthiest and best-known candidates in a handful of states who happen to have early primaries. And most important, we will offer a political “home” for millions of Americans who are not finding one in the current political establishment or its candidates.”

Paul was the Libertarian candidate for President in 1988 but is running for the GOP nomination this cycle. The Libertarian candidate has achieved achieved 50-state ballot access several times in past presidential elections.

via Gary Johnson drops GOP presidential bid to run as Libertarian (who?).