Sun-News Editorial Board

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson didn’t make much of a dent in his run for president on the Libertarian Party ticket in 2012, getting just under 1 percent of the vote.

But with a new, high-profile running mate in former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, and the Republican and Democratic parties both poised to nominate candidates with historically high unfavorable polling numbers, more attention is being paid to the Libertarians this year.

The road to the White House has had two paths since 1860, when Abraham Lincoln led the new Republican Party to victory. The last president who was not a Republican or Democrat was Zachary Taylor, a Whig who won in 1848. We don’t expect that 168-year run to end this year, no matter how unorthodox the race has been.

But we do think Johnson and Weld will get a closer look this year. There will be a number of voters for whom neither Hillary Clinton, assuming she wraps up the Democratic nomination, or Donald Trump will be acceptable. And they will be looking for an alternative.

Johnson and Weld claim to offer a mix of fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. The term “Legalize Freedom” is the campaign rallying cry.

Their platform calls for repeal of income taxes and abolishment of the IRS; ending all federal programs and services not required by the Constitution; repeal of drug laws and all victimless crimes; support of same-sex marriage and abortion; opposition to new gun laws; unrestricted trade and commerce; opposition to new climate laws; elimination of the minimum wage and other workplace laws; and phasing out Social Security, among other things.

There’s something on that list to both excite and frighten just about anybody.

Johnson’s two terms as governor, from 1995 to 2002, are probably best remembered for his national crusade in support of marijuana legalization. He waited until after winning election to his second term to reveal his position to stunned Republican supporters, then went on TV shows across the nation campaigning as a sitting Republican governor in favor of legalization.

But for those watching state government, Johnson’s terms were most notable for the annual budget clashes with the Democratic Legislature. A former business executive who ran for office promising to bring fiscal restraint to state government, Johnson made frequent use of his veto pen, and budget battles often required more than the 30 or 60 days in a traditional session.

When he left office, state coffers were so flush that his replacement, Bill Richardson, was able to both cut taxes and dramatically expand state government in his first term.

The Libertarians will likely be on the ballot in all 50 states. The first goal will be to get included in the national polls. The next goal is to get to 15 percent in the polls, which would secure a spot in the debates. It would be the first three-way debate since Ross Perot made it onto the stage in 1992.

That would give Johnson the opportunity to at least make his case. Ultimately, we don’t believe a majority of Americans favor scrapping Social Security, ending worker protections and reducing federal government to little more than an Army and border patrol.

But in this year when so many voters are looking for an alternative, third-party candidates like Johnson will at least get a chance to make their pitch. And, that could help to expand the discussion.