Walter Rubel

Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES - Former Gov. Gary Johnson surprised many of his Republican colleagues in New Mexico when he launched a national campaign to legalize marijuana after winning re-election in 1998. Now running for president on the Libertarian Party ticket, Johnson speaks proudly of that campaign.

“When I took it on, 30 percent of Americans supported legalization. Today it’s 58 percent,” Johnson said during a phone interview Thursday. “You tell me, is that something I should proud of, or is that something I should be running away from? I think you can tell by my answer, I’m kind of proud of the fact that I have led this national dialogue.”

This is the second time Johnson has run for president as a Libertarian. But with former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld as his running mate, and going against Republican and Democratic candidates with historically low approval ratings, Johnson's campaign has received much more national attention this year.

“Arguably, we’re representing 10 million people this go-around, as opposed to 1.3 million last time. I really do think we’re going to have an impact on the race,” he said.

Johnson said he and Weld have tried to use that attention to highlight a platform that he described as “fiscally conservative and socially inclusive.” He said even if he does not get elected, he would work to draw attention to issues such as marriage equality, a woman’s right to choose, marijuana legalization, fewer military interventions into foreign nations and free trade.

Johnson said his time living in New Mexico and serving as governor here has helped inform his position on immigration, and his response to the proposals of Republican candidate Donald Trump.

“He said we’re going to deport 11 million undocumented workers. How’s that going to work in New Mexico where 40 percent of the population is Hispanic? Is that going to be a knock on your door and ‘Let’s see your papers’ and if you don’t have your papers, off you go?” he asked.

Johnson would not speculate on which of the two major-party candidates, Trump or Hillary Clinton, his campaign may help or hurt the most.

“I’m helping those people who will be allowed to vote for me as opposed to staying home,” he said. Those include young voters and active-duty military, along with all voters looking for a change, he added.

“If either one gets elected, I don’t think that anyone thinks the polarization will get better. I think everyone correctly assumes it will get worse,” he said of Trump and Clinton.

The most recent polling suggests that’s likely to happen. In the RealClearPolitics polling averages, support for the Libertarian Party ticket has fallen from a high of 9.2 percent in mid-September to 5.6 percent now.

Walter Rubel can be reached at wrubel@lcsun-news.com, 575-541-5441 or @WalterRubel on Twitter.