Jo Jorgensen 2020 presidential campaign


The 2020 presidential campaign of Jo Jorgensen is an election campaign that began on November 2, 2019, at the Libertarian Party of South Carolina convention. Jorgensen had previously been the Libertarian Party's 1996 vice presidential nominee.
On May 23, at the virtual 2020 Libertarian National Convention, Jorgensen became the party's 2020 presidential nominee after four rounds of voting by delegates. She is the party's first female presidential nominee.
Vermin Supreme's original running mate, Spike Cohen, was selected at the virtual convention to be Jorgensen's running mate on May 24, 2020, after Jorgensen did not endorse a specific candidate.

Background

In 1996, Jorgensen was nominated by the Libertarian Party as its candidate for vice president in the 1996 election. The party's presidential nominee was free-market writer and investment analyst Harry Browne. The Jorgensen/Browne ticket received 485,798 votes in the general election, which was won by incumbent president Bill Clinton.

Platform

Social Security

Jorgensen claims she is committed to making Social Security financially stable for current beneficiaries and those who do not opt out.

Criminal justice reform

Jorgensen opposes the taking of property through federal civil asset forfeiture and the use of qualified immunity to protect bad cops. She is also critical of the United States' unusually high incarceration rate.

War on Drugs

Jorgensen opposes the war on drugs, calling both of her opponents "tainted on race" and the drug war a "failed" policy. She supports abolishing drug laws, and promises to pardon all nonviolent drug offenders.

Environment

Jorgensen favors Generation IV nuclear power to reduce CO2 emissions. She supports removing "subsidies of all forms of energy production, allowing emissions-free nuclear power a chance to compete on a level playing field" and supports the use of hydraulic fracking while holding "fracking companies responsible for damages."
Jorgensen also supports ending federal subsidies to Green energy like wind power and increasing offshore drilling, allowing sustainable energy to survive in a free market.

Foreign policy

Jorgensen opposes embargoes, economic sanctions, and foreign aid. She favors the withdrawal of American troops from foreign wars. She favors non-interventionism, free and open trade with other nations.

Caucuses and primaries

In the Libertarian primaries, Jorgensen placed second in terms of overall votes cast, behind Future of Freedom Foundation founder Jacob Hornberger. Jorgensen won a single primary prior to the Convention, in Nebraska, on May 12, 2020. After Justin Amash entered and then exited the race Jacob Hornberger lost a significant number of votes and on the fourth round of balloting Dr. Jorgensen was nominated. She did not endorse anybody to be her running mate and after three ballots Spike Cohen was nominated. After her nomination, she went on to win the New Mexico primary on June 2, 2020, which had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Endorsements

Jorgensen has received endorsements from many former Libertarian candidates in the 2020 race, including Jacob Hornberger, Justin Amash, Adam Kokesh and Vermin Supreme.