Eliza Collins

USA TODAY

The 2016 election is Gary Johnson’s last chance to be president.

“This is my last shot at this, OK?” the former New Mexico governor said during a meeting with the USA TODAY editorial board on Wednesday. “I won’t be around after this election.”

So Johnson is going to give this election everything he has, even if that means ultimately helping elect Donald Trump president.

“Spoiler? Great, give me the title,” Johnson said, before adding that he doesn’t think that will be the case.

The Libertarian candidate — whose RealClearPolitics polling average is about 9% — thinks that moderate Democrats and Republicans may not say his name publicly, but they will check the box in the voting booth.

Johnson did not take well to a question about how he would feel if he went down in history as “this year’s Ralph Nader.”

In the 2000 election former vice president Al Gore won the popular vote but ultimately lost the electoral vote because Bush won 537 more votes in Florida. Gore and his supporters argued that had Nader — who ran as the Green Party candidate — not been in the race, those votes would have gone to Gore and he would have won the state and the White House.

Johnson also addressed rumors that his running mate former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld would endorse Clinton if things got close.

“That’s bull----,” Johnson responded when asked about the reports.

Johnson has no preference on which of the major-party candidates should win if it isn’t him. He described them both as “dangerous” in different ways during the interview.

However, despite his frustration with the other two candidates, Johnson acknowledged that there may have been a better person to run as a third option.

“Clearly, I may not be the right messenger,” he said.

Nevertheless, Johnson is in it through election day. He discussed some policy plans during the interview as well, many of which include slashing federal agencies. Johnson said he'd like to cut the Department of Homeland Security (which includes the TSA), the Commerce Department and the Department of Education.

Johnson also weighed in on the fate of Edward Snowden, described as a National Security whistleblower to some and a traitor to others, who has requested a pardon from President Obama.

So far the White House has said it will not pardon Snowden and if he returns to the U.S. he will face charges. But Johnson was of a different camp.

“I would pardon Edward Snowden," he said. He added that based on what he knew about the situation, Snowden had not put anyone in "harms way."