Shock Poll: Gary Johnson at 11 Percent Vs. Clinton, Trump

A new national presidential poll shows that the 2012 Libertarian Party nominee is galvanizing double-digit support in a potential multi-candidate presidential field that would include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and billionaire businessman Donald Trump.

Gary Johnson, the former Republican governor of New Mexico, who is running as a Libertarian again this year, is polling 11 percent in the Monmouth University poll released on March 24, 2016, in a potential three-way presidential race.

While the president is elected by the Electoral College not national popularity, the polling results are impressive considering Johnson only received 1 percent of the vote in 2012. It also shows the dissatisfaction with the two front-runners with some members of the voting public.

According to the poll, Johnson drew support from both Republicans and Democrats.

Calling the poll results a sign of significant potential for his third-party run, Johnson, in a press statement, said, “2016 could very well be the year when American voters recognize that there are more than just two choices for President. The fact that we are in double digits before the general election campaign has even begun is a strong signal that voters are finally ready to challenge the premise that their President must be either a Republican or a Democrat. Polls across the board are showing that the real plurality of American voters are independent, and are clearly not comfortable with either the likely Republican or Democrat nominee. The door is open for a credible advocate of smaller government and greater freedom.”

The Monmouth University poll was conducted March 17, to March 20, 2016 with 848 registered voters nationwide. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent. The Monmouth University Polling Institute is located in West Long Branch, NJ.