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.
