Former New Mexico Governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson has scored an endorsement from none other than Willie Nelson, the Johnson campaign announced Tuesday afternoon.
“I am truly gratified to have the endorsement of such a legendary entertainer and champion for individual rights as Willie Nelson,” said Johnson in a statement. “Not only is Willie a superstar talent, but he is a strong advocate for social change, as seen through his tireless work on behalf of family-owned farms and hard-working Americans.”
The “legendary entertainer” has had a colorful side career as a political activist. Since 1994, Nelson has been arrested on various occasions for marijuana possession. In 2006, he was even charged with possessing hallucinogenic mushrooms.
His latest arrest was in 2010, which was subsequently followed by his co-founding of the TeaPot Party.
Naturally, Nelson supports drug legalization — a key issue for Johnson’s campaign.
In the past, Nelson has also been an activist for farm aid, and was, at least at one time, a 9/11 conspiracy theorist.
“People across this country are demanding the freedom and opportunity to pursue their dreams without interference from a heavy-handed government, and Willie and I stand together to lend our voices to those demands,” added Johnson.
Johnson served as governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003. He announced his candidacy for president last month while visiting New Hampshire.