Presidentkandidat i USA: ”Vad är Aleppo?”

Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman, author, politician, and the Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election. He served as the 29th Governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party. He was also the Libertarian Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election. Johnson founded one of New Mexico's largest construction companies. He entered politics for the first time by running for Governor of New Mexico in 1994 on a low-tax, anti-crime platform, promising a 'common sense business approach'. He beat incumbent Democratic governor Bruce King by 50% to 40%. He cut the 10% annual growth in the budget: in part, due to his use of the gubernatorial veto 200 times during his first six months. Johnson sought re-election in 1998, winning by 55% to 45%. In his second term, he concentrated on the issue of school voucher reforms, as well as campaigning for marijuana decriminalization. During his tenure as governor, Johnson adhered to an anti-tax and anti-bureaucracy policy, setting state and national records for his use of veto powers: more than the other 49 contemporary governors put together. Term-limited, Johnson retired from front-line politics in 2003. In May 2003, he climbed Mount Everest. Johnson stood for President in 2012, initially as a Republican on a libertarian platform emphasizing the United States public debt and a balanced budget, protection of civil liberties, military non-interventionism, replacement of income tax with the FairTax, and opposition to the War on Drugs. In December 2011, he withdrew his candidacy for the Republican nomination and stood for the Libertarian nomination instead, winning the nomination in May 2012. Johnson received 1.3 million votes (0.99%): more than all other minor candidates combined and the most votes in Libertarian Party history. On January 6, 2016, Johnson announced his candidacy for the Libertarian nomination again in 2016. Johnson won the Libertarian nomination in May 2016, with former Republican Governor of Massachusetts William Weld as his running mate. In August, Johnson's poll numbers began to approach the 15% threshold necessary to make him the first third party candidate since Ross Perot in 1992 to participate in the broadcast, fall Presidential debates.