▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁elections , ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁has ▁controlled ▁the ▁Senate . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁Republican ▁party ▁had ▁roughly ▁ 5 5 ▁million ▁registered ▁members , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁party ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Minor ▁parties ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁also ▁has ▁an ▁array ▁of ▁minor ▁parties , ▁the ▁largest ▁of ▁which ▁( on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁support ▁for ▁their ▁President ial ▁candidates ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁election ), ▁are ▁the ▁Libert arian , ▁Green , ▁and ▁Constitution ▁parties . ▁ ▁Libert arian ▁Party ▁ ▁The ▁Libert arian ▁Party ▁was ▁founded ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁continu ing ▁third ▁party ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁claim ing ▁well ▁over ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁registered ▁vot ers ▁across ▁all ▁ 5 0 ▁states . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁they ▁have ▁about ▁ 1 7 6 ▁elected ▁officials , ▁including ▁ 1 ▁state ▁legisl ator . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Libert arian ▁Party ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁United ▁States ▁President ▁was ▁former ▁New ▁Mexico ▁governor , ▁Gary ▁Johnson . ▁He ▁achieved ▁ball ot ▁access ▁in ▁every ▁state ▁except ▁for ▁Michigan ▁( only ▁as ▁a ▁write - in ▁candidate ) ▁and ▁Oklahoma . ▁He ▁received ▁over ▁one ▁million ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁election . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Johnson ▁ran ▁again , ▁receiving ▁over ▁four ▁million