Longshot presidential hopeful Perry Johnson says he can win - if he makes the debate stage

In the back room of Peace Tree Brewing in Des Moines, under soft white string lights, Republican businessman Perry Johnson opened his presidential pitch by summing up his conservative credentials.

Johnson, who has never held elective office and knows he's an unfamiliar face in a crowded GOP field, told about a dozen voters last week that he's "pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, anti-woke and anti-China," — and "if you don't like it, well, tough."

He also touted his "2 cents" plan — a focal point in his campaign that involves slashing 2 cents off every dollar of federal discretionary spending — and pushed to finish building the wall on the southern border.

Apart from that, he said he loves America and wants to restore the American dream. That he, himself, is living the American dream.

Perry Johnson rises from the steel mill to the corporate office

On the campaign trail, Johnson has shared with Iowans his childhood in Dolton, Illinois, a small, working-class community 22 miles south of Chicago. He grew up poor and put himself through college by working at a steel mill before becoming a titan in Michigan's auto industry.

Johnson in the 1990s launched Perry Johnson Registrars Inc., headquartered in Troy, Michigan, which audits and issues standards certifications to auto, aerospace and other companies.

"When I started my first company, I couldn't even tell my mother because she told me that it's the stupidest thing I could ever do," recalled Johnson.

He remembered she asked why he would "do something so ridiculous, but that has been a pattern in my life."

It's that same belief of the American dream, he said, that's now fueling his drive to take over the White House and his hustle to make it on the primary debate stage in August.

"I know it's bizarre for a guy like me — an outsider of outsiders — to be running for president," he said in a one-on-one interview with the Des Moines Register before the Peace Tree event. "I'm a guy with no name ID. I'm a guy that spent his life actually avoiding any kind of publicity. I wouldn't even allow our kids on Facebook, but I know the country needs someone like me."

Perry Johnson speaks on need to make candidate debate stage

Since announcing his presidential bid in March, the longshot candidate has mostly split his time between Iowa and New Hampshire.

In Iowa, he's held dozens of campaign events, including a nine-day "Fire Biden" tour, and traveled to several different counties in a tour bus that has his face prominently displayed on the side.

At each stop, Johnson has passed out free copies of his newest book, "Two Cents to Save America," which bears the details of his plan to solve the nation's debt crisis, and asked as little as $1 for campaign donations. Johnson's also sweetening the pot for donors by hosting a concert in Des Moines and sweepstakes for next year's Super Bowl.

His efforts haven't paid off with huge contributions. He has raised just over $67,000 and contributed roughly $328,000 of his own money toward his campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission.

"I don't need the money," explained Johnson, before criticizing the Republican's new qualifications to make the debate stage.

To qualify, Republican candidates must have at least 40,000 unique donors as part of their presidential campaign committee — with at least 200 unique donors in 20 or more states and territories — and sign a pledge agreeing to support the eventual party nominee.

They must also poll at least 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and 1% in two early-voting state polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina.

"They have it because they have an outsider like me,” he said. "I'm the outsider of outsiders."

But Johnson told the Register he's expanding his efforts in the next six weeks to meet the requirements and secure his place on the debate stage for the first event on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee. With the date fastly approaching, Johnson told the Register he doesn't "feel any pressure," even as he acknowledged the consequences of not being on the stage.

"If I don't make the debate stage, my chances of staying in the race are not going to be great," he said.

More: Who's in the first GOP debate? Here's a rundown of candidates who qualify

Johnson, a 2022 Republican candidate for Michigan governor who was disqualified after submitting too many invalid signatures, has about 15,000 of the 40,000 donors needed, according to his campaign. His polling also remains low.

"As long as they include me in the polls, I'm very confident I'm going to make the 1% requirement," Johnson told the Register in a separate interview Monday.

What some voters say about Perry Johnson

At Peace Tree Brewing last week — like at previous events — Johnson criticized the FBI and voiced concerns over social security, immigration policies, the increase and impact of fentanyl on Americans and the rising costs of college tuition.

The last is an issue that is personal with Johnson's eldest son soon graduating college and two teenage twin boys who will be college-bound.

"Nothing has gone up faster than the rate of college tuition," Johnson told the Register.

Attendees at the event offered mixed reviews of Johnson.

Des Moines resident Nate Fennelly said Johnson was "interesting" but has "no chance" at becoming the next president. Jacob Dickey of Iowa City said Johnson was "well-spoken" and enjoyed learning about him as an "old-school Republican." But Dickey, a member of the Bull Moose Party, a Republican organization that hosted the event, said he couldn't call Johnson a "favorite."

"He's sort of in the middle ground, but he's not Donald Trump," Fennelly, 31, said. "He doesn't have the cadence of someone like DeSantis or (Republican presidential candidate Chris) Christie, who's really anti-Trump."

Johnson maintains he'll land a spot on the debate stage — and win the election.

"I've had virtually no national media," Johnson told the Register. "They probably consider me to be somewhat of a nut — that here I am leading this great life that I had. I have the greatest life in the world. I have the most perfect wife on the planet. I have three wonderful kids. You couldn't have a better life than I have.

"And here I am running for president. They said: 'Who would do anything that stupid?'"

F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Longshot GOP candidate Perry Johnson says he'll make the debate stage