Gary Johnson
Fiscally conservative, socially open
The two-time Libertarian nominee.
Heterodox LibertarianOne of 729 ideologies · enter the Libertarian hall →- Role
- Governor
- Era
- b. 1953
- Region
- United States
- Social band
- Heterodox
- Placement
- +66 · −48 · +30
§ Where Gary Johnson stands
3 axesJohnson built his politics on fiscal restraint. As governor he vetoed more than 700 bills, held down the growth of state spending and pushed for school vouchers, and his 2012 presidential platform called for balancing the federal budget at once and replacing the income tax with a national consumption tax, the FairTax. That puts him firmly on the market side, though short of anarcho-capitalism.
Johnson favours limited government at home and restraint abroad: he called for ending the war on drugs as governor in 1999 and, as the Libertarian nominee in 2012 and 2016, opposed mass surveillance and most foreign military interventions. He worked within conventional politics, however, governing as a Republican before switching parties in 2011, which keeps him short of the libertarian pole.
Johnson pitches himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal. He supports marijuana legalisation, same-sex marriage and abortion rights up to foetal viability, and in 2016 he chose Bill Weld, a socially liberal former governor of Massachusetts, as his running mate. His preference for leaving many questions to the states keeps him moderately rather than strongly progressive.
How close are you to Gary Johnson?
Three statements, one per axis. Answer them and we’ll drop you on the compass next to them.
§ The story
LivingGary Earl Johnson (born 1953) is an American businessman and politician who served two terms as the Republican governor of New Mexico, from 1995 to 2003. Born in Minot, North Dakota, he worked his way through the University of New Mexico as a handyman and built his one-man business, Big J Enterprises, into a construction company with more than a thousand employees. Elected governor in 1994 at his first attempt at public office, he won re-election in 1998.
As governor Johnson vetoed more than 700 bills, earning the nickname Governor Veto, and in 1999 he became one of the highest-ranking American officials to call for legalising marijuana. After a brief Republican presidential bid he became the Libertarian Party's nominee in 2012 and again in 2016, when, with running mate Bill Weld, he won about 3.3 per cent of the popular vote, the party's best result. That campaign was also marked by gaffes, notably his 'What is Aleppo?' answer on live television.
Notable for
- 01Two-term governor of New Mexico
- 02Libertarian presidential nominee
- 03Famed for spending vetoes
Key works & moments
- 1976Founds Big J Enterprises, a one-man handyman business that grows into a large construction firm.
- 1994Elected governor of New Mexico as a Republican; re-elected in 1998.
- 1999Calls for legalising marijuana, one of the highest-ranking US officials to do so.
- 2003Leaves office after vetoing more than 700 bills; climbs Mount Everest.
- 2012Wins the Libertarian presidential nomination and about 1 per cent of the vote.
- 2016Runs again with Bill Weld, winning about 3.3 per cent, the party's best result.
§ Minds closest to Gary Johnson
All minds →
§ Also in the Libertarian hall
Enter the hall →§ Common questions
4 answersWhat is Gary Johnson's political ideology?
Gary Johnson is a libertarian who calls himself fiscally conservative and socially liberal: on the 99ideologies three-axis compass, a Heterodox Libertarian. Economically he sits well into market territory (+66), favouring balanced budgets, low taxes and spending vetoes. On governance he leans clearly libertarian (−48), opposing the war on drugs and foreign military interventions. Socially he is moderately progressive (+30), backing marijuana legalisation, same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
Is Gary Johnson left-wing or right-wing?
Neither cleanly; he is a libertarian who began on the right. Johnson governed New Mexico as a Republican, cutting spending and vetoing more than 700 bills, and his economics remain those of the free-market right. But his support for drug legalisation, same-sex marriage, abortion rights and military non-intervention aligns with the left, which is why he left the Republican Party for the Libertarian Party in 2011 and pitched himself to disaffected voters of both parties in 2016.
What happened with Gary Johnson's 'What is Aleppo?' moment?
In a live interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe in September 2016, Johnson was asked what he would do about Aleppo, the Syrian city then at the centre of the civil war, and replied, 'And what is Aleppo?' He acknowledged afterwards that he had blanked on the reference and said he understood the Syrian conflict. The exchange became one of the most widely shared moments of the campaign and hurt his effort to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate, though he still won the Libertarian Party's best-ever result.
Which minds are closest to Gary Johnson?
On the 99ideologies three-axis compass, the minds closest to Gary Johnson are Penn Jillette (96% alike), David Boaz (96% alike) and John Stossel (94% alike). The furthest is Pol Pot (10% alike).