Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has grown in popularity, but he may be losing some libertarian and conservative voters as they hear his position on religious liberty. Johnson spoke to Tim Carney of The Washington Examiner at the Democratic National Convention.
Carney asked Johnson about a New Mexico photographer who was punished for not servicing a gay wedding. Johnson hardly answered the question:
He continued to emphasize an unspecified plight of Muslims in subsequent answers about RFRA.
For all of his desire to get the federal government out of many areas, including education, Johnson believes it is the role of the federal government to prevent discrimination “in all cases.” Part of his answer involved the slippery slope argument employed by many others:
It’s not merely that Johnson hardly answered the questions with his confusing non-answer. Politicians frequently get into the habit. It’s not that he is ignorant about the issue. His responses won’t endear him to socially conservatives looking for a third party alternative, especially when he sounds like someone from the left.
Johnson acknowledged this when asked by Carney if he’s worried about “turning off conservatives who might come to the Libertarian Party” with original emphasis:
Johnson might not care about attracting social conservatives, as shown through another non-answer. But, as a libertarian, he should know a thing or two more about the “liberty” aspect of religious liberty.
