If Gary Johnson gets 5 percent of the national popular vote, the Federal Election Commission will classify the Libertarians as an official “minor party,” granting the 2020 nominee a lump sum of cash for the fall campaign, courtesy of the American taxpayer.
The exact amount of federal funds depends on the size of his vote, but Green Party officials estimate that meeting the threshold would yield about $10 million. The prospect of knowing the Libertarian Party’s nominee is guaranteed $10 million will allow him or her to hit the campaign trail running, improving the odds of getting into the debates, winning a larger share share of votes, and setting the party’s place in the American political landscape.