Libertarian Gary Johnson charms crowd in Shakopee

It was pro-Uber, antiwar, pro-marijuana and anti-surveillance at the leading third-party candidate's rally Thursday night in Minnesota.

It was pro-miracle (for the win) and anti-border wall. It was pro-Black Lives Matter — despite a handful of boos — and anti-crony capitalism.

For some Gary Johnson supporters, it will be a second vote for the Libertarian presidential candidate, the first for a likable politician, or simply a crapshoot.

"First, they ignore you. Then, they laugh at you," Johnson said, quoting Mahatma Gandhi. "Then, they fight you. Then, you win."

A few hundred people attended Johnson's Thursday evening rally at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, where the two-time presidential nominee and former Republican governor of New Mexico uttered the names of his big-ticket contenders only once during his 40-minute speech.

Johnson, whose running mate is William Weld, former Republican governor of Massachusetts, will appear on the ballot in all 50 states. Former Gov. Jesse Ventura has endorsed Johnson, who was born in North Dakota.

"First of all, most people voting for Johnson are voting for Johnson," said Cara Schulz, who runs the Libertarian Party's state convention and is vying for a Burnsville City Council seat. "When people say 'You're wasting your vote,' they're saying they would like your voice to be silent so their voice is louder. And that's unethical."

Johnson's campaign team chose the Scott County city of about 40,000 people because the venue was available and featured easy parking. The event was announced earlier this week, and beer was served at the rally.

"Can they write checks for 'Gary Johnson for President'?" one organizer asked another. No, checks are made payable to, "Gary Johnson 2016." Typically, supporters pay online.

Third-party voters have gained a voice in this election, especially among Minnesotans turned off by the major-party candidates.

Earlier this fall, Johnson was billed as a significant "protest vote" against major-party candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but his national polls have slumped by nearly 50 percent since mid-September. In Minnesota, he's won about 6 percent of support, according to the latest Star Tribune poll of 625 voters, taken after last week's third and final presidential debate. The same poll had Clinton at 44 percent to Trump's 38 percent.

The dismal polling stats weren't a turnoff for the crowd at Canterbury.

One 20-year-old said he's casting his first-ever vote for Johnson.

"He's one of the few politicians I can get behind," said Alex Blume of Faribault, who said he favors small government.

A mother-and-daughter duo who typically vote Democrat opted for Johnson this time — citing sanity. What if one of the major-party candidates whose sanity they doubt wins?

"We'll make it work," said Jessica Mulder, 36, of New Hope. "Or move to Canada."

"The older I get, the less government I like," said her mother, Denise Henry, 65, of Lakeville. "We can't have Trump. We just can't."

A 30-something couple sitting at the bar talked about their support for Johnson.

"I'm not a supporter of either one of those two [mainstream candidates], and he's kind of been pulling me along on the Gary train," Jill Otterson, 33, of Savage, said of fiancé Matt Bjornberg, 32, of Shakopee.

A few fumbles

Johnson rarely receives mainstream news coverage, and not all publicity is good publicity for him.

A pair of widely documented slip-ups on major issues this fall blemished his reputation. In September, he became a punchline when he failed to recognize Aleppo, a war-torn city in Syria currently facing one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. He later fumbled when asked to name the world leader he admires most.

"Because you can dot the i's and cross the t's," he said to the crowds, "that somehow qualifies you to make these [many foreign] decisions."

When Johnson ran in 2012, he received about 1.2 million popular votes, or about 1 percent. His most prominent supporters in this election cycle include veterans and millennials, according to national polls.

"We're unmasking just how unfair all this is," Johnson said of the process. "We're on the ballot in all 50 states. Shouldn't this warrant being in the presidential debate?"

On the issues, Johnson favors immigration reform, excluding the construction of a wall or blanket granting of amnesty.

A couple of Shakopee residents who attended the rally said they're disappointed that the Johnson/Weld campaign hasn't been more extensively covered by the media and that they identify with his platforms and like physical health (he's pro-bike).

"They're likable," Byron Frye, 72, said of Johnson and Weld.

"And funny," added Barb Frye, 72. But "not to be laughed at, but with."

Natalie Daher • 612-673-177