Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is endorsing Green Party candidate Jill Stein for president, a fact Democrats are trumpeting to keep liberal voters in Vice President Kamala Harris’ column in November.
Mr. Duke, a former Louisiana lawmaker, announced his support on his radio show this week, citing Ms. Stein’s promise to end military aid for Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League refers to Mr. Duke as “perhaps America’s most well-known racist and anti-Semite.”
His endorsement is notable because of his inflammatory record and because of Ms. Stein’s role as a potential spoiler in the election.
Democrats blame Ms. Stein for siphoning off votes from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton en route to Donald Trump’s win in the 2016 presidential election.
They fear a repeat as Ms. Harris battles in a statistical tie with Mr. Trump heading toward Nov. 5.
Ms. Stein posted on X that she disavows Mr. Duke’s support.
“A racist troll has ‘endorsed’ our campaign to draw attention to himself, and certain smear merchants are happy to platform this troll to attack us,” Ms. Stein wrote. “Of course I reject any ‘endorsement’ from a white supremacist like David Duke, unlike Kamala Harris who can’t stop bragging about her endorsement from white supremacist mass murderer Dick Cheney.”
The Democratic National Committee was quick to highlight Mr. Duke’s decision, hoping it would dissuade fence-sitting voters from backing Ms. Stein instead of Ms. Harris.
There are signs that Ms. Stein’s presence in the race could hurt Ms. Harris’ vote tally, if only slightly.
A Quinnipiac Poll released Wednesday found 52% of Georgia voters back Mr. Trump and 45% back Ms. Harris, with Ms. Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver each at 1%.
Without the third-party candidates, Ms. Harris receives 46% while Mr. Trump remains at 52%.
The DNC recently launched a billboard campaign in swing-state Arizona that says Ms. Stein was a spoiler in 2016 and risks doing it again.
“We’re not leaving anything up to chance and will do whatever it takes to remind Arizona voters Jill Stein is a spoiler candidate who can help send Donald Trump back to the White House. Don’t leave it up to chance,” Arizona state Rep. Analise Ortiz said. “The only way to avoid a repeat of 2016 is to cast your vote for Kamala Harris.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.