LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson is campaigning to win the White House as a Libertarian after receiving scant attention in the Republican presidential race.

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Johnson easily became the party's presidential nominee at the Libertarian national convention in Las Vegas, Nev., on Saturday. He said he hopes to appeal to voters fed up with the traditional two-party system in November.

Johnson was a long-shot candidate for the Republican presidential nomination when he announced in December that he would instead pursue the Libertarian ticket.

He won 70 percent of the vote on the first ballot in Las Vegas, an unusual showing of support. His closest challenger, R. Lee Wrights of Texas, finished with 25 percent of the ballots. In 2008, Libertarian delegates needed six rounds of voting to pick a presidential nominee.

"I am honored, and I just want to pledge that no one will be disappointed. We're going to grow the Libertarian Party," Johnson said after the vote.

There were no complaints of carpetbagging among the delegates despite Johnson's sudden embrace of the Libertarian movement after his Republican loss. Some noted that his gubernatorial experience could lend the party more credibility among Republican and Democratic voters.

"I am convinced that Gary Johnson will be an exceptional candidate," said Chairman Mark Hinkle. "Libertarians will show voters how we can make government small while dramatically increasing jobs, lowering taxes and scaling back government debt."

Johnson is fiscally conservative but supports such liberal causes as legalizing marijuana, immigration reform and abortion rights.

During a recent campaign stop in Las Vegas, Johnson told The Associated Press that he plans to court Democratic voters who support legalized marijuana, as well as Republican voters unhappy with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's health care law.

Johnson was excluded from all but two GOP presidential debates and barely registered in polls. Moving forward, he said he hopes to reach 15 percent approval in national polls and at least win New Mexico in November. Nevada could also be in play, he said.

Johnson was elected New Mexico's governor in 1994.

Elisheva Levin, vice chairwoman of the Libertarian Party in New Mexico, said she always viewed Johnson as a Libertarian and voted for him for governor.

"He governed from a Libertarian stance," she said.

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Rob Nikolewski, editor of the blog CapitolReportNewMexico.com, was also in Las Vegas and provided The New Mexican with courtesy video of remarks made by Johnson after receiving the nomination. Johnson makes an appeal to Ron Paul supporters. (CLICK HERE for Nikolewski's coverage).

Also, here is a link to an article from Wednesday by Santa Fe New Mexican reporter Steve Terrell that includes comments from Johnson discussing his chances at receiving the party's nomination:

• Johnson likely to get Libertarian nomination

Also from that article:

So far, the only national polling organization that has included Johnson as a third choice is Public Policy Polling, a North Carolina-based company affiliated with the Democratic Party. In late March, a nationwide Public Policy Polling survey found Johnson taking 7 percent of the vote, (with Obama at 46 percent and Romney at 39 percent).

Johnson said he believes that if he continues polling at least 6 percent or 7 percent in the Public Policy Polling surveys, other national polling organizations will begin including him. "If you're a reputable pollster, you couldn't ignore that," he said.

The former governor also said he could get a boost from those who supported Paul in the primaries when the Texas congressman ends his campaign. While Johnson said he does not expect to be endorsed by Paul himself, he said, "What happens to Ron Paul supporters? I believe they'll find me to be a very credible alternative."

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