“People have to know you to support you,” says Mr. Roberts. “No one knows [Johnson] and he’s got to cover a lot of ground in a short time.”
Even then, says Mr. Boaz of the Cato Institute, he doesn’t have the fundraising potential of many of his peers.
“He won’t have the fundraising network of a McCain, Romney, Barbour, even a Pawlenty,” says Boaz. “That’s going to be a handicap.”
Then there are his views on marijuana. And gay marriage. And abortion.
“It’s hard to win the Republican primary unless you’re pro-war, pro-war on drugs, pro-life, anti-gay marriage,” says Benedict.
