USA: Businessman Perry Johnson enters presidential race

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Republican businessman Perry Johnson has announced his candidacy for president, AP reported.

Johnson, who last year tried to run for governor of Michigan but was deemed by the state's election bureau to have submitted thousands of false nominating signatures, announced his candidacy for the White House to a group of supporters, his campaign staff said.

Johnson did not directly mention his presidential campaign when speaking at the CPAC gathering in Oxon Hill, Maryland, where several other candidates and potential candidates, including former President Donald Trump, are expected.

Johnson spent money earlier this year on an ad during the Super Bowl targeting voters in Iowa, the first state to vote for a Republican presidential candidate, praising his plan to reduce federal spending by 2% each year.

The businessman made his fortune by founding Perry Johnson Registrars Inc., based in Michigan, which certifies whether companies meet industry standards.

He was considered the leading Republican candidate for governor of Michigan in 2022 before he and four other Republican candidates were disqualified for invalid signatures. State election bureau employees said Johnson submitted 13,800 valid signatures at the time, but rejected 9,393, including 6,983 signatures they said were fake.

Johnson, who was prepared to spend millions of dollars on his gubernatorial campaign, said his rights were violated during the process.