Gary Johnson
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson speaks to supporters and delegates at the National Libertarian Party Convention, in Orlando, Fla. On Sunday, May 29, 2016, The Libertarian Party again nominated former New Mexico Gov. Johnson as its presidential candidate, believing he can challenge presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton because of their poor showing in popularity polls. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Those hoping this would be the year they'd finally see a contested convention got all they wanted – and more – when the Libertarian Party convened this past weekend in Orlando, Fla., to select its nominees for president and vice president.
There were squabbles aplenty. There were multiple ballots. There was even a convention attendee who rushed the stage during the vote for vice president and performed a striptease that left him wearing only a thong.
Individual freedom, indeed.
The Libertarian Party is the third-largest political party in our nation. But that's a bit like being the third-largest cola company, behind only Coke and Pepsi. It's something, though you are likely always to remain little more than an afterthought.
But if the Libertarian Party is ever going to get a real look from voters, this has been lining up to be the year. With so-called Republican Donald Trump set to face Democrat Hillary Clinton for president, and with the two candidates disliked like no pair before them, voters may well be open to taking a gander at a third option.
This Nov. 2, 2006, file photo, former Massachusetts Republican Gov. William Weld endorses the candidacy of Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, right, in her bid for the corner office against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick in Boston. Seizing new fuel for his appeal to Donald Trump's critics, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson has joined forces with another former Republican governor to strengthen his Libertarian presidential bid. Weld served two terms as the Republican governor of Massachusetts in the 1990s.
Libertarians chose former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson to be their standard-bearer, and tapped former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld as Johnson's running mate.
While no one truly thinks that the Johnson-Weld ticket has a chance of winning in November, there's every reason to believe that the duo could make some real noise over the coming months.
Libertarians, at their core, cherish individual freedom. Do as you like, as long as it isn't hurting others. At the same time, they want to see a government that is limited in its reach. The one follows the other, of course: In a free society, authorities shouldn't be in the business of keeping individuals from exercising their fundamental rights as citizens.
This will be Johnson's second go-round as the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee. Four years back, he garnered 1 percent of the national vote in the race that saw President Barack Obama winning re-election over Republican challenger Mitt Romney. What would mark success this time around? Five percent? Ten percent?
Here's a thought: Johnson and Weld will have been successful if they manage to get some libertarian notions into the conversation over the next five months.