Romney considers endorsing Gary Johnson

[MasterJedi]

#JackUpJohnson to #EndTrump #NeverTrump

Come on Romney and Bush, you can do it!

[Erich Maria Remarque]

#JackUpJohnson to #EndTrump #NeverTrump

Come on Romney and Bush, you can do it!

It might actually help Trump

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

#JackUpJohnson to #EndTrump #NeverTrump

Come on Romney and Bush, you can do it!

FL: Lean R -> Safe R

[EliteLX]

You really think this man's stupid enough to do this at this point in the campaign? The convention just took place. This would burn every political bridge he's ever established in his life.

[MasterJedi]

#JackUpJohnson to #EndTrump #NeverTrump

Come on Romney and Bush, you can do it!

FL: Lean R -> Safe R

You have that flipped, Lean D > Safe D

[IceSpear]

This would only matter for Utah, if at all. No one else cares about Mitt Romney's opinion.

[Simfan34]

This would only matter for Utah, if at all. No one else cares about Mitt Romney's opinion.

It's not so much Romney's opinion that matters than the effect of making Johnson a legitimate alternative for disenchanted Republicans. More people would probably be won over simply by the extra media attention an endorsement would generate than the actual endorsement.

[Maxwell]

You really think this man's stupid enough to do this at this point in the campaign? The convention just took place. This would burn every political bridge he's ever established in his life.

haha terrific!

[Reginald]

This would only matter for Utah, if at all. No one else cares about Mitt Romney's opinion.

It's not so much Romney's opinion that matters than the effect of making Johnson a legitimate alternative for disenchanted Republicans. More people would probably be won over simply by the extra media attention an endorsement would generate than the actual endorsement.

I agree that this becomes something interesting if people like Kasich and Jeb also endorse Johnson, not because that will necessarily cause a ton of wayward Republicans to vote Libertarian, but because it at least leaves a legitimate option open, makes it more acceptable to vote your conscience reject Trump, etc. Sure, especially so if Trump has some sort of wild series of gaffes/scandals.

But if Romney were to actually do this and wind up being the only one endorsing Johnson, he'll just look bitter to non-Mormon Republicans. I mean, his big old speech didn't go over so well and that was when the nomination was still more or less up for grabs.

[Simfan34]

The only problem is that if Romney, Jeb, Kasich, et al endorse him, it makes him look more like an "moderate Establishment Republican", which would reduce his crossover appeal (although, all things considered, that would probably be a good thing-- Johnson is harmless as long as he-- unlike Stein-- isn't drawing votes away from Hillary) and more generally, hurt the Libertarians' attempt to capitalize on a strong showing by Johnson for long-term gain.

Johnson, in accepting the endorsement, would have to reiterate the distinct parts of his platform while finding a way to repudiate those parts of Republican orthodoxy with which he is at odds (abortion, foreign policy, drug policy) without insulting his hypothetical endorsers. Squaring the circle, in that regard, would particularly hard, for example, in the case of an endorsement from any member of the Bush family.

What's Rand Paul been up to, for that matter? And his father, aside from hawking GOLD? More helpful endorsements might be from Amash, Chaffetz (especially in Utah!), and so forth. I wonder what Johnson's strategy is, anyway; he can't be delusional enough to think he could win an EV majority. If I were him, I'd aim, aside from maximising his share of the popular vote, to get the election thrown to the House, in the hope that the GOP House majority would find the former Republican governor more palatable than Trump, and elect Johnson president (and perhaps that there's still be a Republican Senate to elect Weld). That is a semi-plausible scenario, I think.

[Mr. Morden]

I still think most of you are looking at this wrong.  The most important thing for Johnson is name ID.  Voters have to 1) become aware of his existence, and 2) know who he is well enough to realize that he's not a completely insane crank candidate like so many 3rd party candidates are.

To that end, the most important thing for him is for the media to cover him more, and actually treat him like a 3rd option in the same way that Ralph Nader was covered in 2000.  Even while people understood that Nader wasn't going to win, he was treated as a legit protest option for people who didn't like the major party candidates.  Saturday Night Live had jokes about him, in which they didn't have to stop to explain who he was or that he was a 3rd party candidate for president.  He was getting enough media attention that the average joe knew that stuff.

Can Johnson achieve that level of recognition?  Well, maybe not, but he sure would be more likely to get media coverage if people as prominent as Mitt Romney endorsed him.  It's not just Romney fans who would be impacted by such an endorsement.  Anyone who sees the additional media coverage generated by endorsements like this would see increased coverage of Johnson.

Even the stuff about Romney hooking Johnson up with rich donors I think misses the point.  Johnson isn't going to be able to raise enough money to advertise enough that he can boost his popular vote %age in any meaningful way.  Running a nationwide campaign is just too expensive.  Free media is going to be far more valuable for him.

[SteveRogers]

8% at best. Even if he gets a temporary bump from the rumored (by Gary Johnson) Romney and Jeb endorsements, his support will evaporate fast once it's official that he didn't make it into the debates. Still, anything over 5% is kind of a big deal. If be curious to see what the Libertarians could do in 2020 with that sweet sweet public financing $$$.

Edit: Wait, did I post in the wrong Gary Johnson thread? Ugh. This is what happens when I post from my phone. Oh well, it still applies.

[Inmate Trump]

A small concern in Utah. Mitt's campaigning for Rubio and Kasich sure didn't do much.

By the time he did so, it was already too late. Trump was going to win it.

Doing so now, for Johnson, might at least make somewhat of an impact...perhaps enough to push Johnson at or over 15% of the vote in an average of polls so he can make the debate stage.

[muon2]

The real kicker after Romney would be if David Koch wanted to spend some independent dollars on a Johnson name ID campaign.

[Maxwell]

A small concern in Utah. Mitt's campaigning for Rubio and Kasich sure didn't do much.

By the time he did so, it was already too late. Trump was going to win it.

Doing so now, for Johnson, might at least make somewhat of an impact...perhaps enough to push Johnson at or over 15% of the vote in an average of polls so he can make the debate stage.

He truly murdered Rubio's chances, though.

[amdcpus]

I still think most of you are looking at this wrong.  The most important thing for Johnson is name ID.  Voters have to 1) become aware of his existence, and 2) know who he is well enough to realize that he's not a completely insane crank candidate like so many 3rd party candidates are.

To that end, the most important thing for him is for the media to cover him more, and actually treat him like a 3rd option in the same way that Ralph Nader was covered in 2000.  Even while people understood that Nader wasn't going to win, he was treated as a legit protest option for people who didn't like the major party candidates.  Saturday Night Live had jokes about him, in which they didn't have to stop to explain who he was or that he was a 3rd party candidate for president.  He was getting enough media attention that the average joe knew that stuff.

Can Johnson achieve that level of recognition?  Well, maybe not, but he sure would be more likely to get media coverage if people as prominent as Mitt Romney endorsed him.  It's not just Romney fans who would be impacted by such an endorsement.  Anyone who sees the additional media coverage generated by endorsements like this would see increased coverage of Johnson.

Even the stuff about Romney hooking Johnson up with rich donors I think misses the point.  Johnson isn't going to be able to raise enough money to advertise enough that he can boost his popular vote %age in any meaningful way.  Running a nationwide campaign is just too expensive.  Free media is going to be far more valuable for him.

Bill Weld (Johnson's VP, a two term governor of Massachusetts) raised 5 million for them in the past week.

[Mr. Morden]

I still think most of you are looking at this wrong.  The most important thing for Johnson is name ID.  Voters have to 1) become aware of his existence, and 2) know who he is well enough to realize that he's not a completely insane crank candidate like so many 3rd party candidates are.

To that end, the most important thing for him is for the media to cover him more, and actually treat him like a 3rd option in the same way that Ralph Nader was covered in 2000.  Even while people understood that Nader wasn't going to win, he was treated as a legit protest option for people who didn't like the major party candidates.  Saturday Night Live had jokes about him, in which they didn't have to stop to explain who he was or that he was a 3rd party candidate for president.  He was getting enough media attention that the average joe knew that stuff.

Can Johnson achieve that level of recognition?  Well, maybe not, but he sure would be more likely to get media coverage if people as prominent as Mitt Romney endorsed him.  It's not just Romney fans who would be impacted by such an endorsement.  Anyone who sees the additional media coverage generated by endorsements like this would see increased coverage of Johnson.

Even the stuff about Romney hooking Johnson up with rich donors I think misses the point.  Johnson isn't going to be able to raise enough money to advertise enough that he can boost his popular vote %age in any meaningful way.  Running a nationwide campaign is just too expensive.  Free media is going to be far more valuable for him.

Bill Weld (Johnson's VP, a two term governor of Massachusetts) raised 5 million for them in the past week.

$5 million is a miniscule amount of money when we're talking about a nationwide campaign.  How much is Johnson likely to raise in total?

[amdcpus]

I still think most of you are looking at this wrong.  The most important thing for Johnson is name ID.  Voters have to 1) become aware of his existence, and 2) know who he is well enough to realize that he's not a completely insane crank candidate like so many 3rd party candidates are.

To that end, the most important thing for him is for the media to cover him more, and actually treat him like a 3rd option in the same way that Ralph Nader was covered in 2000.  Even while people understood that Nader wasn't going to win, he was treated as a legit protest option for people who didn't like the major party candidates.  Saturday Night Live had jokes about him, in which they didn't have to stop to explain who he was or that he was a 3rd party candidate for president.  He was getting enough media attention that the average joe knew that stuff.

Can Johnson achieve that level of recognition?  Well, maybe not, but he sure would be more likely to get media coverage if people as prominent as Mitt Romney endorsed him.  It's not just Romney fans who would be impacted by such an endorsement.  Anyone who sees the additional media coverage generated by endorsements like this would see increased coverage of Johnson.

Even the stuff about Romney hooking Johnson up with rich donors I think misses the point.  Johnson isn't going to be able to raise enough money to advertise enough that he can boost his popular vote %age in any meaningful way.  Running a nationwide campaign is just too expensive.  Free media is going to be far more valuable for him.

Bill Weld (Johnson's VP, a two term governor of Massachusetts) raised 5 million for them in the past week.

$5 million is a miniscule amount of money when we're talking about a nationwide campaign.  How much is Johnson likely to raise in total?

Well most donors are holding off until they get in the debates. I could see 30-50 million easy if they make the debates.

[RINO Tom]

It's political gospel that third parties are a joke, and it's Atlas gospel that libertarianism is a joke, but most people aren't political nerds or overly ideological; there is a very sizable portion of the electorate that is dissatisfied with the two party system, and these are two of the least popular nominees in a long time.  If a few people would out their faith in the Johnson campaign (which, unfortunately, I don't think will happen) and help them get a start, things can take off.

[HAnnA MArin County]

Will this bring back #SwingStateUtah?

[Sir Mohamed]

RIP Mr. Drumpf.


The Trumpster needs 90+% of Republicans if he wants to just a tiny chance to win. If anti-Trump GOPers go to Johnson, he'll be done. He would need so much votes from independents and disaffected Democrats, that he has literally no chance. Mitt knows that, he just can't endorse Hillary in public.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

You really think this man's stupid enough to do this at this point in the campaign? The convention just took place. This would burn every political bridge he's ever established in his life.

It's not as if he's going to need to ever cross those bridges to nowhere. Romney won't ever be running for another political office.

[Redban]

You really think this man's stupid enough to do this at this point in the campaign? The convention just took place. This would burn every political bridge he's ever established in his life.

It's not as if he's going to need to ever cross those bridges to nowhere. Romney won't ever be running for another political office.

Several people who are striving to get Trump elected (e.g. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and others) also worked hard in 2012 for Romney's candidacy. An endorsement for Gary Johnson demonstrates disrespect and ingratitude towards those people, regardless of Romney's retirement.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

You really think this man's stupid enough to do this at this point in the campaign? The convention just took place. This would burn every political bridge he's ever established in his life.

It's not as if he's going to need to ever cross those bridges to nowhere. Romney won't ever be running for another political office.

Several people who are striving to get Trump elected (e.g. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and others) also worked hard in 2012 for Romney's candidacy. An endorsement for Gary Johnson demonstrates disrespect and ingratitude towards those people, regardless of Romney's retirement.

you cannot support t***p and pretend to care about "disrespect and ingratitude". those are mutually exclusive positions.

[Illiniwek]

You really think this man's stupid enough to do this at this point in the campaign? The convention just took place. This would burn every political bridge he's ever established in his life.

At this point in his life/career, do you think Romney is really concerned about any political bridges. He's 69 and can't run for president again. He probably just wants to sit around in his magic underwear and enjoy being a grandfather.