On December 28 , 2011 , Johnson formally withdrew his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination , and declared his candidacy for the 2012 presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party in Santa Fe , New Mexico . On May 5 , 2012 , at the 2012 Libertarian National Convention , Johnson received the Libertarian Party 's official nomination for president in the 2012 election , by a vote of 419 votes to 152 votes for second-place candidate R. Lee Wrights . In his acceptance speech , Johnson asked the convention 's delegates to nominate as his running mate Judge Jim Gray of California . Gray subsequently received the party 's vice-presidential nomination on the first ballot
2012 presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party
2012 Libertarian National Convention
Gary Johnson