Gary Johnson Makes Debate Debut

Gary Johnson is going to the big dance.

Ahead of his major debate debut tonight, Johnson tells Patch that getting his name on the national radar results from his message and dogged campaigning in New Hampshire and around the country.

His debate strategy? Blast away at the bloated federal bureaucracy.

“I’m promising to submit a balanced budget to Congress  in the year 2013,” he said in a phone interview this afternoon.  “I’m also promising to veto any expenses that exceed revenue. If you don’t believe I’m going to veto that kind of expenditure, look at my record, I may have vetoed more bills than the other governors combined.”

The former two-term New Mexico governor said he is getting positive response from apolitical groups, such as Rotary groups.

“When people hear what it is that I have to say, there’s a terrific reaction,” he said. “It’s not like anything is newly resonating, it’s just plainly resonating.”

The Fox News/Google Republican presidential debate tonight at 9.

Making the stage in Orlando, Fla., is progress for the Johnson campaign. He will join: Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum. But will he, as some Paul and Santorum supporters have similarly complained of their candidate during past debates, get much face time tonight?

Johnson said he hopes to make the most of the debate opportunity, but he said he would also accept what voters ultimately decide now and on the road to the New Hampshire Primary.

“I’m viewing this as a journey and not a destination,” Johnson said. “The success is getting up every single day and continuing with that journey."

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