{"id":2324540,"date":"2024-08-14T16:11:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T20:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cornel-west-received-help-from-trump-allies-to-get-on-wisconsin-ballot-report-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-14T16:14:14","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T20:14:14","slug":"cornel-west-received-help-from-trump-allies-to-get-on-wisconsin-ballot-report-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cornel-west-received-help-from-trump-allies-to-get-on-wisconsin-ballot-report-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Cornel West received help from Trump allies to get on Wisconsin ballot: Report &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcornel-west-received-help-from-trump-allies-to-get-on-wisconsin-ballot-report-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2324540&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Liberal independent presidential\u200d candidate\u200d Cornel West has reportedly\u2064 received assistance from allies of former President Donald Trump to secure \u2063a \u2063spot on the ballot\u200c in Wisconsin. \u2062According to a report by \u2064USA Today, these \u200cRepublican operatives helped West gather the necessary \u2062signatures required for ballot access. The Wisconsin Elections Commission&#8217;s documents revealed that \u200dstaff from the Republican-aligned\u200d firm, \u2062Blair Group Consulting, played a\u200c role\u200b in this \u2064effort. \u2063Key figures involved\u200c include Dausin Olberding and Arik Amundsen, both of whom\u200c hold vice president positions\u2063 at Blair and have backgrounds in Republican\u2062 campaigns. Despite this support, West&#8217;s campaign seems to\u2064 be struggling, as he is currently polling at below\u2062 0.6% nationally, lagging behind other third<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/courting-the-35-million-independent-voters-who-wield-mighty-but-unpredictable-election-power\/\" title=\"Appealing to 35M Independent Voters: Harnessing Their Mighty, Unforeseeable Election Influence.\">-party \u200dcandidates<\/a>. There \u200dare concerns among both parties regarding the potential impact \u200bof third-party candidates\u2062 on the results \u2064in swing\u2062 states, \u2062reminiscent \u2063of the\u2062 2016 election where similar\u200c candidates were\u2062 believed to have influenced tight races.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Cornel West received help from Trump allies to get on Wisconsin ballot: Report<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1704653\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Liberal independent presidential candidate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/cornel-west\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Cornel West<\/a> reportedly used allies of former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a> to gain ballot access in the battleground state of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wisconsin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Wisconsin<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to a report from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2024\/08\/14\/cornel-west-boosted-by-trump-allies-wisconsin-ballot\/74772257007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>USA Today<\/em><\/a>, West received a boost from Republican operatives who helped him gather the required amount of signatures to be placed on the ballot. Documents from the Wisconsin Elections Commission reviewed by the outlet revealed that four individuals who are employed at the Republican-aligned political canvassing firm Blair Group Consulting worked to gather signatures on behalf of West&rsquo;s candidacy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Of those involved, the outlet identified Dausin Olberding, who works as vice president of field operations at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blairgroupconsulting.com\/who-we-are\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Blair Group Consulting<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-appointed-judge-delays-sentencing-for-kevin-clinesmith-until-after-inauguration-day\/\" title=\"Obama-Appointed Judge Delays Sentencing For Kevin Clinesmith Until After Inauguration Day\">previously worked<\/a> for Trump&rsquo;s 2020 reelection campaign in Iowa, and Arik Amundsen, who is also a vice president of field operations at the group. Amundsen is also listed as a <a href=\"https:\/\/okgop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2024-RNC-delegates-alternates.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>2024 Oklahoma Republican delegate<\/a> by the state&rsquo;s Republican Party. Olberding and Amundsen also operate Red Wave Field Strategies, which is a Republican canvassing firm based in Iowa.<\/p>\n<p>Matan Bar and Simon Molina, who both work at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-anti-racist-training-expecting-people-of-color-to-teach-white-people-is-covert-white-supremacy\/\" title=\"Illinois \u2018Anti-Racist\u2019 Training: Expecting People Of Color To Teach White People Is \u2018Covert White Supremacy\u2019\">consulting group<\/a>, helped gather signatures in Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<p>It is unlikely West would make real strides in the election as he is currently polling below 0.6% nationally in the <em>RealClearPolitics<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>average<\/a> of multiple polls, which is below Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&rsquo;s 5.6% and Green Party candidate Jill Stein&rsquo;s 0.9%.<\/p>\n<p>Still, both Republicans and Democrats have voiced concern about the effect of third-party candidates in swing states where winning margins are expected to be tight once again. In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/2016-election\/results\/map\/president\/wisconsin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>2016<\/a> presidential election in Wisconsin, Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson received a combined 4.7% of the vote. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton lost the state to Trump by just 1% of the vote, which made some believe third-party candidates spoiled Democrats&rsquo; chances that year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Polling indicates that West and Stein will take votes from Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential nominee, in this election, while Kennedy is expected to take votes from Trump.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It is unclear if the West campaign and Blair Consulting Group, both of whom did not respond to a request for comment from the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, knowingly worked together to gain ballot access in Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Only two candidates have a path to 270 Electoral College votes: Donald Trump and Vice President Harris. Republicans know that a vote for a Third Party candidate is a vote for Donald Trump, and that&rsquo;s why they&rsquo;ve been more than eager to prop up spoiler candidates throughout this election cycle,&rdquo; DNC spokesman Matt Corridoni told the outlet.<\/p>\n<p>There have been links between West&rsquo;s ballot access in swing states and GOP operatives in this election before. NBC News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2024-election\/operatives-gop-ties-are-helping-cornel-west-get-ballot-key-state-rcna153110\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>reported<\/a> employees of other Republican consulting groups are collecting signatures in the battleground state of North Carolina.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1704653\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1704653\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cornel West, the liberal independent presidential candidate, reportedly received assistance from allies of former President Donald Trump to secure a spot on the ballot in Wisconsin. A USA Today report indicates that Republican operatives aided West in gathering the necessary signatures for ballot access. Documents from the Wisconsin Elections Commission reviewed by the publication show that four individuals affiliated with the Republican political canvassing firm Blair Group Consulting were involved in collecting signatures for West&#8217;s campaign. Among those identified were Dausin Olberding and Arik Amundsen, both vice presidents of field operations at Blair Group Consulting, who have ties to Trump&#8217;s 2020 reelection efforts. Additionally, Matan Bar and Simon Molina from the same consulting group contributed to signature collection in Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<p>Despite this support, West is currently polling below 0.6% nationally according to RealClearPolitics averages\u2014significantly trailing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&#8217;s 5.6% and Jill Stein&#8217;s 0.9%. Nevertheless, both major parties are concerned about how third-party candidates might impact close races in swing states; during the 2016 election in Wisconsin, third-party candidates garnered a combined 4.7% of votes which some believe affected Hillary Clinton&#8217;s narrow loss to Trump by just 1%. Current polling suggests that West and Stein may draw votes away from Democratic nominee Kamala Harris while Kennedy could siphon support from Trump.<\/p>\n<p>It remains unclear whether there was any coordinated effort between West\u2019s campaign and Blair Consulting Group regarding ballot access strategies in Wisconsin; neither party responded to inquiries from Washington Examiner for clarification on this matter. DNC spokesman Matt Corridoni emphasized that only Trump and Harris have viable paths to securing Electoral College votes and suggested that Republicans are keen on supporting third-party candidates as they could inadvertently aid Trump&#8217;s chances again this election cycle\u2014similar reports have emerged regarding GOP operatives gathering signatures for other candidates like West across various battleground states such as North Carolina<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2324541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP23281705859180.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38149,34909,38150],"class_list":["post-2324540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-cornel-west","tag-trump-allies","tag-wisconsin-ballot"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP23281705859180.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324540\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2324541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}