Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson Gary Earl JohnsonWhat the numbers say about Trump's chances at reelection Presidential race tightens in Minnesota as Trump plows resources into state The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden condemns violence, blames Trump for fomenting it l Bitter Mass. primaries reach the end l Super PAC spending set to explode MORE rejected comments from presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE that he and running mate Bill Weld are fringe candidates.

"I think by fringe, I think what he is saying is the majority of Americans are fringe, and that's just not the case," Johnson said on the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Thursday.

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Trump late last month dismissed Johnson, the former governor of New Mexico, as a fringe candidate and made clear he doesn't see him as a threat in the general election.

"Gary Johnson got 1 percent of the vote last time. I watched that whole situation. It was really pretty disgraceful. I think it's a total fringe deal. I think he's a fringe candidate, you want to know the truth. I look at him and I watch him and I watch his motions and I watch what he says. I think that he's a fringe candidate," Trump said on CNN last month.

More voters are looking toward the Libertarian Party as they become dissatisfied with the candidates the Republican and Democratic parties have put forward as their nominees.

A Fox News survey released Thursday found presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Momentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Warning signs flash for Lindsey Graham in South Carolina MORE leading with 39 percent support, followed by Trump, at 36 percent, and Johnson, at 12 percent.

But among independents, Trump leads, at 32 percent, followed by Johnson, at 23 percent, and Clinton, at 22 percent.

It’s the latest sign of early polling strength from Johnson, who many believe is poised for the best showing from a third-party candidate in decades.

The Presidential Debates Commission requires candidates poll at 15 percent in five polls leading up to the debates to qualify, but many pollsters only survey the two major party candidates.

In polls that have included Johnson recently, he’s landed in the 10 to 12 percent range, well within striking distance of where he needs to be to qualify.