With 2012 in sight, a dark horse looking at running for the Republican presidential nomination will be heading to New Hampshire for an extended stay next week. Former Gov. Gary Johnson, who served two terms in New Mexico, will travel to the Granite State, site of the first presidential primary, to talk about federal spending and how Congress can reduce it.
This is a crucial time in American politics, as we look to a newly elected Congress in 2011 to stop the insanity of federal spending, said Johnson. Republicans in Congress must be vigilant as never before when it comes to the nations pocketbook we need to get our spending under control.
During his tenure in New Mexico, Johnson earned a reputation for reining-in spending and ending the state deficit. During his two terms, Johnson opposed tax hikes, backed school choice programs, slowed government spending, privatized half of the states prisons, issued 750 vetoes and made good use of the line-item veto. However, it was Johnsons focus on another issue -- the legalization of marijuana -- that brought him the most notoriety.
As he continues to ponder running for the White House in 2012, Johnson shows no signs of changing his stripes, either as a fiscal watchdog or as a bit of a maverick. Unlike many Republicans -- though, like U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas whom Johnson backed for the GOP nomination in 2008 -- Johnson took dead aim at American foreign policy, calling for an end to U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
From putting an end to the exorbitant costs of the war in Afghanistan, to ensuring that the Bush tax cuts become permanent for all Americans, now is the time to make the difficult financial decisions to put our country back on track, said Johnson. I truly believe that our national debt is currently our greatest threat to national security.
Johnson will be making camp in New Hampshire in the dead of winter -- and more than a year before the presidential primary. He will spend the better part of a week in the Granite State, arriving on Jan. 3 and leaving Jan. 8. Johnson will hit Concord, Golden Triangle, Keene, Lebanon, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth and Seacoast on his visit, which will be his fifth stop in the state.
Johnsons trip will kick off a series of visits to New Hampshire from potential Republican presidential candidates in 2011. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be appearing in the Granite State later in January as part of a tour promoting his new book. Other potential candidates include former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former New York Gov. George Pataki, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, political activist Fred Karger and businessman Herman Cain.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
