Experts Say Johnson Will Take Votes Away From Both Clinton and Trump

On Thursday, professors of political science said that Gary Johnson the Libertarian candidate for U.S. President would take votes from both Hillary Clinton as well as Donald Trump in the general election.

At the same time, the director of the Libertarian Party said more people were joining that party and each place Johnson and Bill Weld his vice presidential candidate visit will help increase that trend.

In the majority of elections, a third party candidate from the Libertarian Party would worry the Republicans more than the Democrats, said one professor of political science.

However, this year’s campaign is much different it seems that Johnson is drawing about the same number of votes from each of the two parties on a national level.

That is making it hard to make a prediction of whether Clinton or Trump will be hurt more from voters choosing Johnson on the ballot rather than one of them. There are many disgruntled Republicans that would “never vote Trump” that might more likely vote Johnson.

However, the dissatisfaction is on both sides and each of the major party’s candidates is losing voters to the third party this campaign season.

Libertarians are usually liberal on most social issues. For example, many find gay marriage to be fine, but when it comes to spending, they are conservative.

Johnson therefore might attract the voters that are socially liberal, but those GOP voters that are socially conservative like supporters of Ted Cruz, and opposed to gay marriage could still vote Trump.

Both Johnson and Weld are governors, with Johnson once the Governor of New Mexico and Weld held the same post in Massachusetts.

Even though more voters are supporting Johnson than Jill Stein the Green Party candidate, the national polls show that it is nearly impossible that Johnson could be elected president.

If Johnson is to appear in the presidential debates he will have to be at 15% and to date he is nowhere close to that. He may win one state like Utah, and could attract such a number of votes that neither Trump nor Clinton end up with a majority.

However, what effect he will have on the overall election is still unclear, but as the election nears, the votes he is taking from both the major party candidates is beginning to be worrisome for both.