Democratic consultant David Axelrod warned that Green Party candidate Cornel West could harm President Biden’s reelection bid by pulling away votes toward the progressive academic, thereby helping former President Donald Trump.
“In 2016, the Green Party played an outsized role in tipping the election to Donald Trump. Now, with Cornel West as their likely nominee, they could easily do it again. Risky business,” Mr. Axelrod tweeted Friday.
Mr. West is running for the Green Party nomination to “reintroduce America to the best of itself – the dignity, courage, and creativity of precious everyday people.”
Many Democrats blame 2016 Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein, for drawing votes away from then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and causing her to lose to Mr. Trump, the GOP’s nominee that year.
Ms. Stein has long disputed that she was a spoiler in the tight race between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton and she was not the only third-party candidate that ran in 2016. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson also ran that year.
Republicans see an opportunity, though with Mr. West as a third-party candidate, but influential progressive lawmakers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat, are beginning to endorse Mr. Biden.
Mr. Biden is facing minor primary challenges for the 2024 election cycle including self-help author Marianne Williamson and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
When asked by PBS News Hour if she would support Mr. Biden, she said: “I believe, given that field, yes.”
According to a poll released last month, nearly half of voters would seriously consider casting a ballot for a third-party candidate if President Biden and former President Donald Trump are the Democratic and Republican nominees next year.
The survey, conducted by NewsNation and Decision Desk HQ, found that 49% of registered voters said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider picking someone else instead of Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump.
The online survey question of 1,000 registered voters, with a margin of error: 2.8 percentage points, was conducted May 25 and 26.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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