Gary Johnson the Libertarian candidate is hoping to pick up the 5% of votes that he needs for his party to qualify for federal public funding in the next general election. His hopes are being pinned on dis-satisfied Ron Paul supporters choosing to support him rather than Romney, and young people disillusioned with Obama also transferring their vote to him.

In the past, the best the third place presidential candidate has done is as follows:

1980 John B Anderson (independent) 6.6% 

1992 Ross Perot 18.9% 

1996 Ross Perot 8% 

2000 Ralph Nader 2.74% 

2004 Ralph Nader 0.38% 

2008 Ralph Nader 0.56% 

Update: Gary Johnson got 0.99% of the vote in the 2012 presidential election