Gary Johnson served as the 29th governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 and later ran for president twice as the nominee of the Libertarian Party, achieving historically significant vote totals for a third-party candidate.

Business Career

Johnson attended the University of New Mexico, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. While still in college, he started a handyman business that he grew into Big J Enterprises, one of New Mexico’s largest construction companies. He sold the company in 1999.

Gubernatorial Career (1995-2003)

Johnson entered politics by running for governor of New Mexico in 1994, defeating incumbent Governor Bruce King. During his two terms, he became known for vetoing more than 750 bills, earning a reputation for fiscal restraint. He left office in 2003 after serving the maximum two consecutive terms.

Presidential Campaigns

2012 Campaign

Johnson initially sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 before switching to the Libertarian Party, which nominated him as its presidential candidate. He received approximately 1.28 million votes, nearly 1% of the popular vote.

2016 Campaign

Johnson ran again for president in 2016, this time with former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld as his running mate. The ticket received nearly 4.5 million votes, approximately 3.3% of the total popular vote. This represented the highest vote share for a third-party presidential candidate since Ross Perot in 1996 and the strongest showing in Libertarian Party history.

Later Activity

In 2018, Johnson ran for the U.S. Senate in New Mexico as a Libertarian candidate, finishing third with approximately 15% of the vote. He has maintained a lower public profile since that campaign.