Cornel West, a left-wing philosopher, runs for president as a third-party candidate.

Cornel West Announces Third-Party Presidential Bid for 2024

“I want to reintroduce America to the best of itself – the dignity, courage and creativity of precious everyday people,”

Cornel West, a progressive political activist and philosopher, has announced his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election under the small, leftist People’s Party. West’s platform includes fighting to end poverty, mass incarceration, wars, and ecological collapse, as well as guaranteeing housing, healthcare, education, and living wages for all.

At 70 years old, West is a prominent philosopher whose works have focused on race and class in U.S. society. Although he enters the race with little hope of winning the White House, he has a chance of siphoning votes from Democratic President Joe Biden in next year’s election.

Impact of Third-Party Candidates on Presidential Elections

The history of American presidential politics is littered with failed third-party attempts. However, some have had major impacts on presidential elections. For example, Ross Perot’s third-party run in the 1992 election is widely seen as a significant factor in the defeat of former Republican president George H.W. Bush to Democrat Bill Clinton, as Perot siphoned off a chunk of Republican voters in the nearly 20 million votes he received.

In 2000, many analysts believe Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore would have beaten Republican George W. Bush if Green Party candidate Ralph Nader had not run. Nader appeared on the ballot in crucial swing states, including Florida where the entire presidential election was decided by a few hundred votes, giving Bush the presidency.

West, a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York who previously taught at Harvard and Princeton universities, hopes to make a similar impact on the 2024 election.

West’s People’s Party website states that he is “fighting to end poverty, mass incarceration, ending wars and ecological collapse, guaranteeing housing, health care, education and living wages for all!”

Join Cornel West in his fight for a better America.