A group of lawyers with ties to the Republican Party has been working to help independent presidential candidate Cornel West get on the Arizona ballot, sparking concern among Democrats. West did not file the necessary paperwork before the deadline, leading to a scramble to find replacement electors. West himself expressed ambivalence towards the Republican efforts, calling American politics “gangster-like.”
The involvement of GOP attorneys in supporting West’s candidacy is part of a larger effort by conservative activists to push West’s campaign and potentially benefit former President Donald Trump by attracting left-leaning voters away from the Democratic nominee. Efforts to convince electors like Jerry Judie and Denisha Mitchell to reconsider their decisions to step down as West’s electors included phone calls and house visits by Republican lawyers.
Judie, a retired park ranger and longtime fan of West, initially supported the campaign but changed his mind when Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. He felt disillusioned and no longer wanted to represent West as an elector. The Arizona law requires independent presidential candidates to have a slate of electors to cast Electoral College votes for them, prompting the need for replacement electors when Judie and Mitchell stepped down.
Republican and their allies have been working to place West on the ballot in multiple states, hoping he will serve as a spoiler candidate who could impact the election results. The use of dubious tactics, including alleged forging of documents, raised concerns about the integrity of the ballot and the election process. Efforts to get West on the ballot involved visits to electors’ homes and attempts to convince them to participate in the campaign.
Overall, the involvement of GOP attorneys in supporting Cornel West’s candidacy has raised questions about the role of partisan politics in the electoral process. The efforts to get West on the ballot in various states reflect a broader strategy by conservative activists to influence the election outcome. The controversy surrounding the replacement of electors and allegations of forged documents highlight the complexities and challenges of independent candidates seeking to participate in the presidential election.
