Reports have called him a Presidential longshot, but Perry Johnson stole the show on the first day of CPAC, giving the best speech of anyone to take the stage.
The Johnson team brought noticeable energy to the conference, with a large, organized group of supporters visible throughout the convention hall, culminating in a packed reception where Johnson officially announced his run for President of the United States.
The biggest buzz of the conference so far has been, “just who is Perry Johnson?”
Johnson answered that question after his CPAC speech earned him a standing ovation, and thunderous applause from conference attendees Thursday afternoon.
Perry Johnson, the respected Michigan businessman from the Detroit area, walked attendees through this “Two-Cents Plan to Save America,” which will bring down inflation, and finally rein in D.C. spending by reducing just 2 pennies off nearly every dollar in the federal budget.
“I am pro-life, I am pro-second amendment, I am pro-family, I am pro-freedom, I am anti-china,” Johnson started off his speech, to booming applause.
Johnson then spent much of his speech outlining his background as a “Quality Guru,” having revolutionized quality standards for American auto parts in the 1980’s, bringing the American automotive industry back from the brink, after almost being destroyed.
Johnson outlined the specifics of his two-cents plan.
“The Two-Cents Plan is very simple, cut two cents off of every dollar of discretionary spending out of the federal budget,” Johnson said. “We have to get inflation under control and bring down costs. This plan is both realistic, attainable and will actually solve the problem,” Johnson said
The detailed version of his plan was passed out by his surprisingly large group of supporters on hand in National Harbor, just outside the White House Johnson hopes to be moving into in January of 2025..
Johnson, who was traveling with Former Detroit Chief of Police James Craig, as well as Former House Intelligence Chair and Trump Ambassador to the Netherlands, Pete Hoekstra, has been the surprise hit of the conference so far, attracting large crowds, and garnering significant media attention.
Though Johnson’s campaign had launched a $600,000 Super Bowl ad campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire, he made his official announcement for President in a packed reception Thursday evening.
“They tell me, it’s impossible to fix our federal government. Well I say, this country was built on people doing the impossible,” Johnson said. “We are going to implement the two cents plan, we are going to get inflation under control so people can live again and we are going to ensure we preserve the American Dream. That is why I am running for President of the United States.”
Whispers of a contested national convention have also permeated through the halls of CPAC, making Johnson’s wildcard candidacy even more interesting.
His consultant, presidential campaign veteran, John Yob, literally wrote the book on a potential contested convention, releasing “Chaos” in 2016.
“Chaos” outlines the scenarios for exactly how a contested convention might unfold at the Republican National Convention.
The Johnson campaign has yet to release details of his upcoming schedule, but has said he plans to be in both Iowa and New Hampshire in March.
