Gary Johnson to Ditch GOP for Libertarians

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

Read Full Bio

Trudy Ring

December 21 2011 6:50 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

trudestress

We need your help
Your support makes The Advocate's original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Become a member today to help us continue this work.

Gary Johnson, the gay-friendly former governor of New Mexico, has decided to drop out of the Republican presidential race and seek the Libertarian Party's top slot.

In a recent interview with The Advocate, Johnson, who has garnered little Republican support and appeared in only two debates, said he would be open to seeking the Libertarian presidential nomination. Politico now reports that a Johnson campaign source says he will definitely make the move from Republican to Libertarian, with an official announcement to come next week at a press conference in Santa Fe.

Johnson "began flirting with the Libertarians when it became clear that he was gaining no traction in GOP primaries," Politico notes. He had maintained his membership in the Libertarian Party, paying dues even while holding the governor's office as a Republican.

Unlike leading Republicans, Johnson favors marriage equality. "As I have examined this issue, consulted with folks on all sides, and viewed it through the lens of individual freedom and equal rights, it has become clear to me that denying those rights and benefits to gay couples is discrimination, plain and simple," Johnson said at a GOProud online forum. He also supports abortion rights and wants to repeal drug laws.