Supporters of Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson will host a rally in downtown San Diego Monday on the eve of the general election.
Neither Johnson nor his running-mate, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, will attend the 6 p.m. campaign event at the House of Blues.
Johnson is averaging around 4.3 percent in national polls, less than half of the support he was receiving a couple of months ago. Political commentators say the former New Mexico governor's plunge coincides with a series of misstatements on policy issues, Sen. Bernie Sanders siphoning younger voters by campaigning for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and the rise in the candidacy of CIA officer Evan McMullin, who is on the ballot in some states but will be a write-in candidate in others.
Supporters, however, contend that Johnson has given the Libertarian Party a boost in an election year in which voters have expressed disenchantment with both major party candidates.
According to his website, Johnson has 22 percent support in his home state, 17 percent in Clinton's home state of New York, and more than 20 percent in some Central Plains states.
Johnson and Weld generally fall within the Libertarian platform of limiting government in economic and social issues while avoiding overseas conflicts. They also said they want to reform the immigration system to make it easier to enter the country legally, which they believe will improve security, reform the criminal justice system and legalize marijuana.
