If debate requirements took individual states into account, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson would make the stage, thanks to the 15 percent support he enjoys in Colorado in a recent NBC News/WSJ/Marist poll for August. While Donald Trump dropped 4 percentage polls since the July poll, Johnson rose 2 points from 13 percent.

Johnson is close in another battleground state, winning 12 percent in Virginia. He has 9 percent support in Florida and North Carolina. In all four key states, he takes away from Hillary Clinton's lead against Trump, though Trump's support drops as well when Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein added to the polls. The campaign is particularly excited about their rise in Virginia, where Johnson had 10 percent the week before. He was recently endorsed by Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.), the first member of Congress to declare his support for Johnson.

He's also doing well with specific demographics. In a McClatchy/Marist poll, Johnson wins support with millennials at 23 percent. In an IBD/TIPP poll, Johnson comes in first with those under 25. He wins 12 percent overall in the poll. Among Latinos, Johnson wins 16 percent support, according to a Fox News Latino poll.

A poll from People's Pundit Daily showed Johnson reaching 8.6 percent on August 11. He has an 8.3 average from Real Clear Politics.

Johnson has been actively campaigning on Twitter to raise money and make it to the required 15 percent national support to make it on the debate stage.

The Commission on Presidential Debates recently signaled there could be a third podium on the national debate stages.