Bill Glauber

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Abby Stein said she was brought up a conservative while her husband Justin was raised liberal. But in this election, they're joined at the hip, backing Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson.

The Steins of Wauwatosa were among hundreds of the politically curious and the ideologically committed who skipped watching the last Packers' preseason game on television Thursday night and ventured to American Serb Hall to listen to Johnson.

"There's more than two sides to every story," Abby Stein said, as she explained why she and her husband were bypassing the Republicans and the Democrats and turning out for the Libertarians.

In an interview, Johnson said he was enthused about coming to Wisconsin. He praised the state, the Packers and Gov. Scott Walker, though he did disagree with Walker, a conservative Republican, on social issues.

He also came out forcefully for legalizing marijuana and for free trade.

A former two-time moderate Republican governor of New Mexico, Johnson is trying to move his poll numbers to get into the presidential debates. The party has to cross the 15% threshold in five national polls to get Johnson and his vice presidential running mate, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, a place in the debates.

He was polling at 11% in Wisconsin according to the latest Marquette University Law School Poll. Around three-quarters of Wisconsinites didn't know enough about him to form an opinion.

"Without being on the debate stage there is no way you can win the presidency," Johnson said. "It's estimated that the viewership for the first presidential debate is going to exceed that of the Super Bowl. You know you can't win the Super Bowl if you're not on the field."

Johnson bounded onto the stage and told the audience, "This is the craziest election ever. You know how crazy it is? I'm going to be elected president."

His speaking style was as relaxed as his wardrobe of jeans and green button-down shirt. He was unfazed by technical difficulties and clearly enjoyed the cheers of the crowd.

He made the case for the Libertarian Party as the "big six-lane highway in the middle" between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

"Keep government out of my pocket and out of my bedroom," he said, as he talked up libertarian principles of being fiscally conservative and socially inclusive.

In his speech he laid out an agenda that is anti-tax, small-government, pro-choice, free trade, free market and non-interventionist.

Johnson said if he could "wave a magic wand, I would eliminate income tax, eliminate corporate tax, and replace it with a corporate consumption tax."

His biggest applause line may have come when he endorsed term limits, calling them a political "silver bullet."

Johnson pledged to be "the most frugal president that ever served in this country."

"How many times has the president flown into Milwaukee and snarled all the freeways. I'll figure out a smarter way to do this. I'll be a big steward of the office," he said.

And finally he thanked the crowd for showing up for a political rally on a night the Packers were playing.

"You all rock. You are awesome. I can't believe you're here," he said at the conclusion of his half-hour speech.

Dick Diercksmeier, a retiree from the Town of Brookfield, said he was "warming up" to Johnson.

"Most of his ideas and policies I agree with him," he said.

Diercksmeier, a conservative who normally votes Republican, said he was turned off by Trump's "bombastic, egocentric persona." So, he's giving Johnson a try.

Karen Mathew of Mukwonago came to the rally at the urging of her 15-year-old daughter Naomi. Mathew home schools her three children and going to political rallies is part of learning civics.

She said she liked Johnson's pitch for criminal justice reform and non-interventionism, as well as his support for school reform.

Who will she vote for?

"I will not vote for Trump or Clinton," Mathew said.