By: Chris McManigal
Third of a 4-part series spotlighting the Presidential candidate from the Democrat, Republican, Libertarian and Green Party.
Gary Johnson has been a known quantity within New Mexico for many years having served as the Republican Governor from 1995 to 2003. He made his first appearance on the national stage in 2012 when he ran for President for the first time, initially as a Republican with Libertarian leanings. Then during that race he switched his affiliation officially to the Libertarian Party and won the party’s nomination with more than 1 million votes.
Though originally from North Dakota, Johnson went to High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico and graduated from college from the University of New Mexico, also in Albuquerque. He began his career as a handyman which eventually led him to starting his first construction company, Big J Enterprises. That company became extremely successful and ultimately employed more than 1,000 people. When he sold Big J in 1999 it was widely known to be one of the biggest construction companies in the state.
Johnson has authored 2 books. Seven Principles of Good Government was published in 2012 and Common Sense for the Common Good: Libertarianism as the End of Two-Party Tyranny will be released in 2017.
As the Libertarian candidate for President, Johnson is in support of military non-interventionism, the legalization of marijuana, gay marriage, preserving abortion rights, simplifying the tax code and the expansion of nuclear energy. While he is not a climate change denier, he does not feel that the government can or should play a role in controlling it. He also supports the repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act known as Obamacare.
Johnson is currently unmarried, but has been with his partner Kate Prusack since 2009. He has 2 adult children from his previous marriage that ended in 2005.
Age: 63
Education: BS from the University of New Mexico
Net Worth: 6.5 million, estimated
Famous Quote: “Every time you pass a law it is a little bite out of freedom.”
