KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Congressional candidate Lorence Wenke says there was something missing from Monday night’s debate, and that was Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.
“I think it’s very unfair, I think the Democrats and Republicans have gotten together and figured out a system that makes it very difficult for a third party candidate or an independent candidate to be involved in the debates,” Wenke said.
He said, without that kind of equal exposure and opportunity to get to the public, there is no way they will be able to fairly compete.
“The 15 percent threshold is a high bar to set for someone who isn’t a member of one of the major parties,” Wenke said.
Johnson is currently drawing about 10 percent of the vote nationally and about nine percent in Michigan.
Wenke is a former Michigan House representative running as the Libertarian candidate against Fred Upton and Paul Clements in the sixth Congressional race.
He said it’s just not democratic that the third parties are excluded based on an arbitrary number.
We found Wenke parked by the side of West Main St. It’s just something he does, sitting with large campaign signs on a pick-up truck, inviting voters to sit in his lawn chairs and chat.
