Gary Johnson is about as under-the-radar as a presidential candidate can get. But the Libertarian Party candidate could still have something to say about who gets elected–or re-elected–in November. That’s because third party candidates can be spoilers. Think Ralph Nader and Ross Perot. Al Gore and George H.W. Bush occasionally do.
A Gallup poll had Johnson, 59, the former two-term governor of New Mexico, with 3 percent nationally last month. And he could add to that in the wake of the GOP Convention, the one that Ron Paul has been denied the opportunity to speak at. The Paul followers, non-Romney zealots, could take some serious umbrage over a perceived snub (by Republican state delegations).
In a mega swing state such as Florida, which could stay too close to call right up to the election, Johnson could benefit from frustrated and disaffected Paul supporters with nowhere else to go. Obviously, the biggest beneficiary would be Barack Obama.