Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson Says Endorsement From Romney Could Be Coming
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A third-party candidate for president said he could be getting support from a former presidential candidate.
On Thursday, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney was considering endorsing him for president.
Johnson -- a former two term governor of New Mexico -- said he and Romney had spoken recently.
"I think he's considering the possibility of doing this," Johnson said, "of actually endorsing the two of us."
While Romney has said he would look at the ticket, he has not publicly committed to supporting them, CNN reported.
Johnson's running mate William Weld -- a former Massachusetts governor -- said getting to the 15 percent threshold in polls would make an endorsement more likely.
"He's thinking about it, Wolf, and I don't want to press the point unless we get to 15%, because then I think the case for it is overwhelming," he said.
Candidates must reach 15 percent in the polls to get a spot on the stage in general election debates.
In June, Romney told CNN that he needed to get to know Johnson better before making a decision.
"If Bill Weld were at the top of the ticket, it would be very easy for me to vote for Bill Weld for president," Romney said. "So I'll get to know Gary Johnson better and see if he's someone who I could end up voting for. That's something which I'll evaluate over the coming weeks and months."
In recent weeks Johnson and Weld have been making a big push for voters who aren't satisfied with the choices of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.
Johnson is running on a platform that seeks to eliminate what he called 'wasteful spending' he has described himself as a strong advocate for term limits and believes senators and representatives should return to private life after "spending a few years doing the job at hand."
On social issues, Johnson has compared himself to Bernie Sanders. He believes unnecessary laws, "the failed war on drugs," mandatory minimum sentences, and the criminalization of people's personal lives have created "a seriously frayed relationship between law enforcement and those they serve."
When it comes to abortion Johnson believes that it is a deeply personal choice, and a woman's right to choose what to do with her body.
Earlier this week, Marvin Bush -- the youngest of President George H.W. Bush's sons -- said he would be voting for Johnson.
Bush was critical of both Trump and Clinton when speaking with Washington D.C.'s 106.7 'The Fan.'
After referring to Clinton as dishonest, and criticizing Trump's treatment of opponents, Bush said he would be voting for Johnson.
"Well that's why I'm voting Libertarian. A hundred percent. And so these two guys — nobody knows about them, people think I'm sort of a wasted vote — both Gary Johnson and Bill Weld were each successful two-term governors who balanced their budgets, so they're fiscally conservative, and their essential message is, 'Get bureaucracy off our backs,' which used to be a part of what the Republicans believed," Marvin Bush said. "And let me put it in terms of what's topical for you: The Libertarians would not impose a rule at your radio station that said you can't play music of your choice in the background."
A recent CBS News/New York Times survey had Johnson at 12 percent.
