Gary Johnson

GOP Presidential Hopefuls Go To Ames, Gary Johnson Rides a Bike

Michael R. Corjulo | August 9, 2011, 1:47PM

GOP Presidential Candidate Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM)

While seven Republican presidential hopefuls will be competing in the Iowa Straw Poll this Saturday in Ames, candidate Gary Johnson will be in a slightly different kind of race. The former Governor of New Mexico announced Tuesday that he would be spending Saturday competing in a 100 mile-long mountain bike race in Leadville, Colorado.

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Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson Shows His Poker Face

Ryan J. Reilly | July 7, 2011, 2:03PM

Former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM)

Republican Presidential candidate Gary Johnson is telling poker players to "ante up" and support his bid for the nation's top office.

As Conor Friedersdorf writes at the Atlantic, Johnson has a portion of his website dedicated to championing the issues that matter to the country's poker fans.

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Gary Johnson

Up In Smoke: Willie Nelson Retracts Gary Johnson Endorsement

Benjy Sarlin | May 19, 2011, 3:01PM

Country singer Willie Nelson and former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM)

Willie Nelson was extremely high on Gary Johnson last week, but the country singer is now withdrawing his endorsement for the pro-legalization GOP candidate, only days after announcing his support.

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Gary Johnson

Singer Willie Nelson Hooks Up Gary Johnson With Endorsement

Benjy Sarlin | May 17, 2011, 5:35PM

Country singer Willie Nelson and former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM)

If you're running for President on a legalization platform and can't secure country singer and proud pothead Willie Nelson's endorsement, you probably should just go home. Fortunately for Republican candidate Gary Johnson, Nelson announced his support on Tuesday.

Nelson met with Johnson after a performance in his native Texas before committing the Teapot Party, a group he founded to advocate for ending restrictions on marijuana, to backing the former New Mexico governor's campaign.

"I am truly gratified to have the endorsement of such an iconic entertainer, philanthropist, innovator and champion for individual rights as Willie Nelson," Johnson said in a press release by the group "Not only is he a superstar talent, he is a bold advocate for social change. Americans are demanding the freedom and opportunity to pursue their dreams without interference from a heavy-handed government, and Willie Nelson lends a tremendous voice to those demands."

According to the release, Johnson is the first presidential candidate to ever receive the group's backing. Nelson personally backed Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) in the 2004 and 2008 Democratic primaries.

Tim Pawlenty

2012 GOP Rivals Slam Obama In First Debate

Susan Crabtree | May 6, 2011, 9:01AM

The biggest boon for the five Republican presidential candidates who showed up in South Carolina for the first debate of the GOP 2012 race Thursday night may have been simply allowing viewers to put a name to a face.

The GOP field is still shaking out, and the debate was perhaps less notable for who was in attendance -- Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, and Ron Paul -- than for who wasn't -- Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Donald Trump, and Mike Huckabee.

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2012

Former NM Gov. Gary Johnson Announces Presidential Run

Benjy Sarlin | April 21, 2011, 10:13AM

Former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM)

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson (R) declared his candidacy for President Thursday morning, adding a libertarian voice to the emerging GOP field.

Dubbing himself a "fix-it man" for America, Johnson announced his run from the New Hampshire statehouse.

"America needs a 'President Veto' right now - someone who will say 'no' to insane spending and stop the madness that has become Washington," he said in a press statement. "That's why I am here today to announce that I'm running for President of the United States. And I don't do so lightly."

Johnson has gained the most attention so far for his strong opposition to America's drug laws and he mentioned the "drug crisis" in passing in his announcement. His newly-launched 2012 website prominently features "Drug Policy Reform" as one of four core parts of his platform, with a large section promoting the legalization of marijuana, suggesting the issue will play a major role in his campaign.

While many candidates have admitted to experimenting with drugs in their youth, Johnson turned heads when he said in a recent interview that he smoked medicinal marijuana from 2005 to 2008 to help cope with back pain. His take on drugs has earned him some contempt in conservative circles: CPAC organizers cut off a pro-legalization address from Johnson at their most recent convention mid-speech.

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CPAC

CPAC Throws Pro-Pot Legalization Libertarian Off Stage (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 11, 2011, 10:54AM

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson (R) is one of the many coy presidential contenders speaking at CPAC this year. He hasn't said officially if he's running for president, but he showed up here with staff who are on the ground for him in Iowa and New Hampshire, as well as a slew of Gary Johnson for President signs. CPAC is generally very welcoming of Republican presidential contenders, giving them space on the dais to speak and time to make their case to the thousands gathered here.

Unless they're pot-legalization supporting libertarians like Johnson. Those, they throw off the stage.

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