Welcome to half way through 2016, in case you were away, Pokémon and Dory are all the talk again, LeBron led a historical comeback against Curry and our country has nominated two candidates who have been proven to be the two most hated ones in American history. That’s right, you guessed it––Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Now, obviously these two each have acquired quite the following. I mean they did manage to get the two most prominent political parties in the nation to support them. But, since study after study shows that more and more voters’ ideals do not really align with either party, but rather only lean one way, I can’t help but to wonder why there isn’t a candidate who stands more neutral. Oh wait, there is. Meet Gary Johnson.

Gary Johnson is a third party candidate and former governor of New Mexico. In the election he is running representing the libertarian party. For those who aren’t familiar with that term, libertarians tend to believe in small governments all around. Fiscally and in commercial regards, libertarians are more conservative in nature, but on social issues, their beliefs tend to be more of liberal character. As far as the actual party goes, it’s fairly new and pales in comparison to the size of the Democratic and Republican parties, but nonetheless it is a part of our country’s politics.

But, enough about the history Johnson is representing, let’s talk a little bit more about him. Johnson ran for President in 2012 against Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama. This year, he is running again and making a much bigger ‘splash’ on the campaign trail. According to CNN, in the past month alone, Johnson’s ratings have increased by 4 percent, bringing him to an outstanding 13 percent rating. This may seem low, but when you consider that 13 percent of all eligible voters in the US accounts for almost 30 million people, a mark of approval like that is decently promising. Especially, when you factor in the lack of funding and the absence of press coverage. But, like other candidates Johnson does have several celebrity supporters including Tom Sellek, Vince Vaughn and Drew Carey, according to Heavy.com. Also like his opponents, Johnson has chosen a running mate, Governor William Weld of Massachusetts. But, unlike some of his opponents, Johnson does not bring religion into his stance on issues. For example, in the past, when he debated *in support of* gay marriage, he considered the definition of equality, since he believes that is a legitimate federal concern. Johnson also does not believe in personal negative campaigning, which means he rarely speaks poorly about Trump or Clinton’s character or personal lives––something the other two take advantage of every second they get. Johnson’s team is looking to “make America sane again” and is urging the public to try something new.

But, to jump on board and really try something new, you need to know where he stands. I would encourage everyone to visit his website, where the information below and more comprehensive explanations of his stances are well stated in detail, but to save some time and to give you a preface, here are just a few:

Heavier Taxes for the Upper Class:Against––believes a progressive system punishes hard work.

Legalization of Marijuana:Supportive––known as the first politician in office to support this and is CEO of a medical marijuana company.

Abortion:Pro-Choice––personally is against it, especially late in the pregnancy, but believes it’s not the government’s job to make decisions about a woman’s body for her.

Immigration:Supports Ease of Legal Status––believes in demilitarizing the borders, reforming the visa system, and making it more efficient for people to become citizens.

Gun Control:Against Control––believes it is a Constitutional right to bear arms, but is willing to have open discussions.

Medicare/Medicaid:Support reform––believes that major cuts are necessary.

These are just a few of the many, many issues to consider when deciding whether or not to back a candidate, but remember that that is what is important––to consider the issues. Parties create a decree of beliefs, and whoever represents that party is expected to adhere to that decree, regardless of any personal confliction. Voters on the other hand, have a choice. Voters have the power to elect someone who, like most of us, refuses to be bound by a set of pre-decided rules. A candidate who isn’t afraid to express what he truly believes, who chooses to focus on his accomplishments rather than others’ faults, even if that probably does hurt his air-time in the long run. That, America, is the kind of person we should want representing our country––not someone who we “just hate a little less than the other one.”

So voters, especially millennials, I beg you, please, do your research. Look into Gary Johnson, research him, learn his stances, take the quizzes and see if he is a good fit for your beliefs. And, if he is, don’t be afraid to break away and vote #TeamGov.