  The linear optimization degree gives an algebraic measure of complexity of
optimizing a linear objective function over an algebraic model. Geometrically,
it can be interpreted as the degree of a projection map on the {affine}
conormal variety. Fixing an affine variety, our first result shows that the
geometry of {this} conormal variety, expressed in terms of bidegrees,
completely determines the Chern-Mather classes of the given variety. We also
show that these bidegrees coincide with the linear optimization degrees of
generic affine sections.
