Spoilers or Truthtellers? Third Party Politics in Election 2024

FEATURING DR. ROSA ALICIA CLEMENTE - Just weeks before the United States presidential election on November 5, 2024, all eyes are on a handful of swing states where the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris remains tight. 

In those states–such as Michigan, Arizona, North  Carolina, and Pennsylvania –disaffected progressives may end up choosing third party candidates such as Jill Stein and Cornel West. The Biden-Harris administration’s unequivocal backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is one of the main reasons why some voters feel alienated from Democrats. But, economic justice issues such as the high cost of living and low wages, are also a central concern. 

Democratic Party stalwarts are blaming Stein and West more than Harris, pointing to Trump as an existential threat to democracy. Indeed, Trump’s supporters, understanding this, have fueled Stein and West’s candidacies with money and ballot access.