Cornel West 2024 presidential campaign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cornel West for President |
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| Campaign | 2024 U.S. presidential election |
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| Affiliation | Justice for All Party Aurora Party Oregon Progressive Party Green Party (formerly) People's Party (formerly) |
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| Receipts | US$1,096,129.22 (April 30, 2024) |
| Slogan | Justice is what love looks like in public |
Cornel West is a well-known philosopher, professor, and activist. On June 5, 2023, he announced he would run for president in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He first said he would run with the People's Party. He shared a video on Twitter saying he wanted to bring "truth and justice" to the country.
Later, on June 14, 2023, West said he would also try to get the Green Party's nomination. But on October 5, he changed his mind again. He decided to run as an Independent candidate instead. This meant he would no longer seek the Green Party's nomination. Then, on January 31, 2024, he started his own political group called the "Justice for All Party."
Cornel West believes in socialist ideas. His campaign focuses on several key issues. He supports Medicare for All, which means healthcare for everyone. He also wants more public housing and strong action against climate change. Another big goal for him is to greatly reduce the U.S. military budget.
Most polls show West getting a small percentage of votes. He is seen as a candidate who probably won't win the election. Some political experts think he might take votes away from other candidates like Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. This is called vote splitting and can change election results.
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Who is Cornel West?
Cornel West is an American philosopher, political activist, and writer. He often talks about the roles of race, gender, and social class in American society.
West has taught at many universities and written important books. Some of his famous books include Race Matters and Democracy Matters. He describes himself as a "non-Marxist socialist." He is a strong voice in left-wing politics in the United States. West has been involved in political activism for many years.
In the past, he advised Bill Bradley during the 2000 presidential election. After that, he strongly supported Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. He even spoke at Nader's rallies. In 2008, West supported Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries. However, he later became a strong critic of Obama after he became president.
In 2016, West supported Bernie Sanders. When Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination, West then endorsed Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
West's Campaign Journey
On June 5, 2023, Cornel West announced his presidential run on a livestream with comedian Russell Brand. He later posted a video on Twitter to share his news.
Starting with the People's Party
In his first announcement, West said he was running for president as a candidate for the People's Party. He explained that he was on a "quest for truth and justice." He believed the presidency was one way to achieve these goals. He also criticized both major political parties. He said they failed to "tell the truth" about important issues like Wall Street and the Pentagon.
The People's Party quickly supported his campaign. They said West would "smash the war duopoly and abolish poverty." However, some left-wing activists were not happy with his choice of party.
Joining the Green Party
On June 14, 2023, West announced he would also seek the Green Party's nomination for the 2024 presidential election.
A few days later, on June 16, Socialist Alternative endorsed West's campaign. This group believes his campaign could greatly change the political system.
On June 21, West officially registered to run for president with the FEC. He later announced that Jill Stein, who was the Green Party's presidential candidate in 2012 and 2016, would lead his campaign.
Early polls showed some support for West. An Emerson College poll on June 22 showed him with 5.8% support. Another poll from Echelon Insights on July 6 found him at 4% support.
In July 2023, West criticized President Biden for a crime bill passed in 1994. West said the bill hurt Black Americans.
West also talked about being a "spoiler candidate." This means someone who takes votes from a major candidate, potentially helping another candidate win. In a CNN interview, West said that many people don't vote at all. He argued that so-called "spoilers" like Gary Johnson or Ralph Nader often get votes from people who would never vote for the two main parties anyway.
Becoming an Independent Candidate
On October 5, 2023, West announced he was leaving the Green Party race. He decided to run as an independent candidate instead. This meant he would start the process to get his name on the ballot in different states.
West's campaign explained his decision. They said he believed the best way to challenge the current political system was to focus completely on the people. He didn't want to get caught up in the details of how political parties work internally.
Creating the Justice for All Party
On January 31, 2024, West announced on X that he was starting a new party called "Justice for All." He said the party would work to get on the ballot in states where it's easiest. These states include Florida, North Carolina, and Washington.
Choosing a Running Mate
On April 10, 2024, West announced his choice for vice president. He picked Melina Abdullah, who is also an academic and activist.
Getting on the Ballot
Getting on the ballot means a candidate's name will appear on the voting forms in a state. This can be a difficult process for independent or third-party candidates.
Alaska
In December 2023, West's campaign announced he would be on Alaska's ballot. He will appear through the state's Aurora Party. West has promised to fight the oil industry. He wants to protect places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and stop projects like the Willow Project pipeline.
California
In December 2023, California announced that West could be on the Peace and Freedom Party's primary ballot. He was one of three candidates trying to get this party's nomination. West did not win the nomination, losing to Claudia De La Cruz.
Oregon
On January 24, 2024, the Oregon Progressive Party secured ballot access in Oregon. They nominated Cornel West to be on the ballot in their state.
Colorado
On April 13, 2024, the Colorado branch of the Unity Party of America nominated Cornel West. This means he will be on the ballot in Colorado through their party.
Michigan
In August 2024, Cornel West and Melina Abdullah were not allowed on the Michigan presidential election ballot. This was because of a form that was not correctly signed by a notary.
What Cornel West Believes In
Cornel West calls himself a "non-Marxist socialist." He has been a leader in the Democratic Socialists of America. He describes this group as a "multiracial, socialist organization" that is close to his political views. He also calls himself a "radical democrat" who is careful about all forms of authority.
West supports several key ideas:
- Medicare for All: Healthcare for everyone.
- Green New Deal: A plan to fight climate change and create jobs.
- Ending new oil drilling: Stopping new projects that extract oil.
- Universal public housing: Making sure everyone has a safe and affordable place to live.
- Term limits in Congress: Limiting how long politicians can serve in Congress.
- Ending U.S. support for NATO, Ukraine, and Israel: Changing America's foreign policy.
- Closing most US military bases: Reducing the number of U.S. military bases around the world.
Concerns About Vote Splitting
Many people worry that Cornel West's campaign could be a "spoiler." This means he might take votes away from other candidates, possibly helping someone like Donald Trump win the election. Some Democrats believe that third-party candidates caused them to lose elections in 2000 and 2016. However, Green Party members say they did not cause those losses.
Studies have shown that a spoiler effect can happen. But it's not always clear if it would be enough to change the outcome of an election. Because of these concerns, some in the Democratic Party have tried to keep third parties off the ballot. Critics say this hurts democracy.
As of September 2023, most polls showed West reducing support for both Biden and Trump by a small amount. However, some polls showed little to no effect, or even a positive effect for Biden. A poll in July 2024 found that including third-party candidates like West, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Jill Stein actually increased Kamala Harris's lead over Donald Trump.
West has argued that the Democratic Party does not "deserve anybody's vote." He has also questioned the real differences between the two major parties.
Campaign Funding
One of West's donors was Harlan Crow, a wealthy Republican donor. Some people thought Crow might have donated to West's campaign hoping it would hurt Biden's chances. West later returned Crow's donation.
Who Supports Cornel West?
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