Not long ago, America’s Libertarians—that’s capital-L, the pros—were ecstatic. Never before had their party nominated such a heavy-hitting presidential ticket. They boasted two former Governors, both credible (but not too credible) ex-Republicans, matching up against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the two least popular major-party nominees in history.
Governor Johnson seemed to be living proof that the GOP was sinking fast and the Libertarians offered the viable alternative. For Libertarian lifers who had suffered indignities like the abortive presidential run of Bob Barr (another ex-Republican), Johnson/Weld represented an unprecedented opportunity for unprecedented relevance.
Instead, Libertarians have met with a familiar frustration. Despite the manifest weaknesses of Clinton and Trump, far too few Americans have found it in them to jump ship and sign on with Johnson and Weld. On the left, the Green party’s Jill Stein has persisted as a magnet for the sort of ingrates and idealists who are often most willing to experiment with their vote.
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