Weld to address Emerson students on Thursday
By State House News Service | September 8, 2016, 6:42 EST
Former Gov. William Weld attended the Gov. Charlie Baker’s State of the Commonwealth address in January. Baker was a member of Weld’s cabinet. [File Photo: Sam Doran/SHNS] Libertarian vice presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld will return to Boston Thursday to address students at Emerson College.
The school invited Weld to speak at a forum where he plans to discuss why the Libertarian ticket should be included in presidential debates, said Dan Winslow, a former state representative volunteering with the campaign.
The first presidential debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton is scheduled for Sept. 26 at Hofstra University in New York. The Libertarian ticket would need 15 percent support in the polls for its nominee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, to earn a spot in the fray.
A CNN poll released Tuesday found the Johnson/Weld ticket polling 7 percent of likely voters and 9 percent of registered voters.
Weld is looking forward to the opportunity to present the campaign’s case to younger voters, Winslow said.
“The millennials are kind of a key strength for the Johnson/Weld ticket,” Winslow said.
Winslow, who left the House in 2013, said he supports Johnson and Weld because of the two former Republican governors’ experience and their ability to work across party lines.
“If you look at the polarization in Washington, the partisan divide and polarization which is hurting America, do you really think it’s going to get better with Hillary or Donald?” Winslow said.
Weld is scheduled to address the students at 2 p.m. in Emerson’s Tufte Building at 10 Boylston Place.
— Written by Katie Lannan
Copyright State House News Service
