Breaking with a 100-year streak of endorsing Republicans, the New Hampshire Union-Leader, the state’s newspaper of record, endorsed Libertarian Gov. Gary Johnson for president.
From the September 15 the editorial:
“Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is back in New Hampshire today, and we encourage Granite State voters disgusted by the choices they face in this fall’s presidential election to give him a close look.
“Johnson is a familiar face to New Hampshire primary junkies, having sought the GOP nomination in the 2012 First in the Nation Primary. This year, he’s running on the Libertarian ticket with another former Republican governor, Bill Weld.
“The Republican and Democratic parties nominated the two least popular candidates in American history. Johnson doesn’t have to spend much time driving up his opponents’ negatives. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump did that to themselves. Johnson’s challenge is in getting voters to know that he’s even an option.
“He needs to crack 15 percent in national polls to get on the debate stage with Clinton and Trump this fall. We hope he makes it.
“Johnson has twice as much executive experience as Clinton, and infinitely more than Trump. In eight years as governor, he cut taxes, vetoed spending increases, and supported school choice.
“Johnson’s candidacy doesn’t fit neatly on the ideological spectrum. Liberals and conservatives should find much to like, and dislike. But unlike the two major party nominees, Johnson can be believed.
“Johnson and Weld will rally with supporters, and curious voters looking for a vote they can be proud of, at 5:30 this afternoon on the State House steps in Concord.”
