There has to be a 3rd party presidential candidate, (in many states) in order for 3rd parties to obtain or maintain ballot access. They can't run for races if their party doesn't field a candidate. It's also a good PR move for the party. They get a spokesperson on the national level for a few years. That trickles down and helps build name recognition for future candidates at all levels.Indeed - Couldn't agree more, and at this level, a third party candidate actually has an equal shot of winning, which is why this is an effective strategy here.
But applying this strategy to the Presidential race doesn't work.