Progressive activist Cornel West said Thursday he is no longer running for president under the banner of the Green Party. Instead, the controversial Black

African American

Thought leader wants to operate independently.

I am running as an independent candidate for President of the United States to end the iron grip of the ruling class and ensure true democracy! West wrote on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

People are hungry for change,” he added. They want good politics over party politics. We must break the grip of the duopoly and give power to the people.

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West faces significant challenges in his quest to become the first candidate not affiliated with a major political party to win the presidency. But Democrats are quietly concerned that he could have a significant impact in the 2024 elections by winning even a small share of votes in key states that would otherwise go to President Biden.

Some Democrats are still angry about Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s presidential bid in 2016, when she won nearly 1.5 million votes. Republican Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton, but won the electoral college vote by the narrowest of margins in key states.

West may not be the only independent or third-party candidate in a position to influence the 2024 presidential election. It is widely expected that current Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will make a bid from an independent party or a third party next week. And the centrist group No Labels is actively working to secure access to ballots for a yet-to-be-named candidate.

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It remains to be seen whether West can collect the tens of thousands of signatures needed to qualify for the election in crucial states. Without the infrastructure of a formal party, collecting such signatures will largely be in the hands of grassroots volunteers.

Like Dr. West’s campaign for president is growing. He believes the best way to challenge the entrenched system is to focus 100% on the people, and not on the intricacies of internal party dynamics, West’s campaign said in a written statement. Our Constitution provides for independent candidates to have access to ballots in all states, and Dr. West has begun seeking access to ballots as an independent, not affiliated with any political party.

In the statement, West’s campaign also said he continued to share the Green Party’s values ​​and commitment to justice.

“It is long past time to stop playing ping-pong between Republicans and Democrats when millions of our friends and neighbors lack housing, health care, decent jobs, clean air, clean water, nutritious food and a healthy environment,” his campaign said .