Republican-turned-Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says his campaign comes down to one figure: 15. <\/p>\n
If he gets 15 percent in the national polls, the two-time Republican governor of New Mexico can appear in debates alongside President Barack Obama and all-but-settled Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. <\/p>\n
Without that, he said Friday inTampa, he's toast. <\/p>\n
He encouraged the group of about 30 people -- some Libertarians, some Democrats, some just curious -- gathered for lunch at Gaspar'sGrotto in Ybor City to call national polling companies and push them to include his name in their samples. <\/p>\n
\"Just ask them to include my name,\" he said. \"That does not seem like such an onerous request.\" <\/p>\n
Johnson became the Libertarian nominee in May. He's polling anywhere between 6 percent and 15 percent in some states, he said. <\/p>\n
\"I am but a spokesman for the liberty movement,\" he said. \"If I had a button it would be, I am pro-choice with regard to everything.\" <\/p>\n
His campaign will target some states for commercials, but Florida won't be one of them, Johnson said. Too expensive. <\/p>\n
He was eager to point out his differences with Romney and Obama. He does not and has never supported an individual mandate for health insurance, he wants to repeal the Patriot Act, and he wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, corporate tax, income tax and other holdings in favor of a fair tax, to name a few. <\/p>\n
\"The base themselves, neither one of them are very excited about their candidate,\"said Alex Snitker, the Libertarian Party candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010. \"Gary's taking 'em from both sides.\" <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Libertarian prez candidate Gary Johnson in Tampa: Help me get on the polls!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Republican-turned-Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says his campaign comes down to one figure: 15. If he gets 15 percent in the national polls, the two-time Republican governor of New Mexico can appear in debates alongside President Barack Obama and all-but-settled Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Without that, he said Friday inTampa, he's toast Continue reading