Former Gov. Gary Weld, R-Mass., won the Libertarian Party’s nomination for vice president, joining him to a ticket that features former Gov. Gary Johnson, R-N.M., who hopes to mount an effective third-party campaign for president.
Weld barely cleared the 50 percent threshold required to become the VP nominee, as 50.573 percent of convention delegates backed him on a second ballot. His lack of libertarian bona fides (he joined the party two weeks ago) weakened his bid. But Johnson was adamant that he needed Weld on the ticket.
“I will not be elected president of the United States if Bill Weld is not my vice presidential pick,” he said Sunday, per Reason. “It’s not going to happen. It’s just that simple.”
Johnson hopes to capitalize on GOP frustration with presumptive nominee Donald Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton’s continuing unpopularity. “Nearly 4 in 10 regard the two-party system as seriously broken,” the Associated Press reported.
The party was slow to announce Weld’s victory, through no fault of his. While the second ballot results were being tallied, the candidates for Libertarian Party chair made their pitch to the convention. One candidate stripped down to his underwear and danced on stage, to the anger of the assembled delegates. Several attendees protested his performance after the candidates finished speaking, with some asking that he be ejected from the convention.
Ultimately, however, the desire to see the vice presidential results one out, and the convention moved on to Weld rather than debate about suspending the rules to punish the dancing man.
