LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Dr. Jo Jorgensen, the Libertarian Party nominee for president, made a campaign stop in Lexington on Wednesday as she works to boost her poll numbers in an attempt to bring her message of small government to a big national stage.
According to the Commission on Presidential Debates, candidates must maintain at least 15 percent support in five national polls.
Jorgensen has not come close to that threshold. A CNBC/Change Research poll last month showed her garnering just three percent support.
Speaking to about 100 supporters in front of the Old Courthouse Wednesday, Jorgensen spoke in favor of police reform, the withdrawal of U.S. troops in foreign conflicts and the abolition of drug laws.
She drew her loudest applause when she criticized the role of government in Americans’ lives.
Jorgensen said if she were elected President, she would eliminate the Department of Education and the NSA.
As expected, lot of complaints about big government. Presidential candidate Dr. Jo Jorgensen says it takes too long and it’s too expensive to bring drugs to market; floats idea of eliminating FDA. Also called for getting rid of Department of Education. @LEX18News pic.twitter.com/YwRuIXPd7g
— Mike Valente (@ValenteLEX18) August 5, 2020
Historically, third-party candidates have struggled to break through a system by the two mainstream candidates.
In the wake of the 2016 election, third party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein were labeled as “spoilers” in a tight 2016 election.
Asked about that, Jorgensen rejected that characterization and said the enthusiasm for her campaign is evident.
"A lot of people are saying, 'You know what, we don't see a choice right now,' that we've got two people who are part of the system," Jorgensen said. "They both want to spend more money, they both want to make decisions for us, and also, neither one of them want to bring the troops home. Seventy-five percent of our volunteers are from outside the party because we're hearing that they just don't like the system"
