WATCH: Gary Johnson Courts Sanders Supporters Feeling Burned by "Clinton Machine"

image
Shawn M GriffithsShawn M Griffiths
Published: 13 Jul, 2016
2 min read

Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson released a new video online Tuesday, speaking directly to Bernie Sanders supporters who are disenchanted by the prospect of voting for Hillary Clinton. Johnson notes that there is another alternative and claims he will be on the ballot in all 50 states.

From the Video:

"Do you think Hillary Clinton is going to stand up for your civil rights? Let me tell you something. The ACLU gave me the highest score in American presidential politics. The ACLU scored me higher than Barack Obama, higher than Ron Paul. You know as well as I do that Hillary Clinton voted for the War in Iraq. She regularly boasts about the decision to bomb Libya. And ISIS rushed in to fill the void those conflicts left behind. Is anything going to change if Hillary Clinton is elected president?"Unlike Hillary Clinton, I never supported bombing Libya. I never supported the Iraq War. I've always stood up for drug policy and criminal justice reform. If you're still feeling the 'bern,' and feeling burned 'cause the Clinton machine rolled over your ideals, there is another option." - Gary Johnson

Is his messaging working?

Voters looking for an alternative option to the two major party candidates seem to be paying attention. According to a national Morning Consult survey, support for Johnson has inched up to 12 percent, while Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump poll at 39 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

However, not every poll includes third party alternatives like Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. National media outlets like USA Today and CNN view third party alternatives as on the "fringe" with little clout. If the media determines that a candidate is not "viable," they don't include that candidate in polls -- leaving respondents with only two options.

READ MORE: National Polls Largely Exclude Stein, Johnson as Voters Increasingly Want More Options

Still, with increased media coverage in 2016, Johnson's public support is on the rise. In order to be eligible to appear on the presidential debate stage, Johnson needs to be polling at an average of 15% in 5 polls chosen by the Commission on Presidential Debates. That feat appears possible looking at the Libertarian's current polling trends.

You Might Also Like

Woman walking away with a I voted sticker on.
Hey New York Times, Your Party Voter Registration Story is Pretty Bad
The press has a problem with independent voters. Specifically, the historic growth seen in independe...
20 Aug, 2025
-
6 min read
Hand in ballot that says independent on it.
Why 1.2 Million California Independents Are The Biggest Wild Card in American Politics Today
The fate of Proposition 50, California’s proposed redistricting measure, may come down to voters who have declined to join one of the two major political parties....
22 Aug, 2025
-
5 min read
Redistricting fight.
The 10 Worst Gerrymandered States in the Country
Monday marked another escalation in the mid-cycle redistricting fight between Republicans in Texas and Democrats in California – with one in another special session to add 5 more GOP seats, and the other maneuvering to counter this with 5 new Democratic seats....
18 Aug, 2025
-
7 min read