Hours before the US presidential elections, Democrats warned voters that supporting US Green Party candidate Jill Stein could inadvertently give the presidency to Donald Trump. The ad, titled “Crucial,” features Stein’s face blinking into Trump’s face with the message, “A vote for Stein is actually a vote for Trump.” After this, in the video, Trump, speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, says, “Jill Stein? I like her a lot. Do you know why? She gets 100 percent from him.”
On October 28, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) allocated approximately $500,000 for a last-minute campaign in swing states, urging voters not to support third-party candidates, including Stein and independent Cornel West. Both Trump and Democrats suggest that Stein’s presence on the ballot could take away significant votes from Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, potentially aiding Trump’s path to victory.
Jill Stein, who ran in 2012 and 2016, announced her 2024 candidacy via a video on Twitter on November 9, 2023. Known for her progressive policies, Stein called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, ending arms sales to human rights violators, and blocking the US veto in the UN Security Council. His foreign policy platform also includes dismantling NATO in favor of a “modern, inclusive security architecture”.
However, as Politico reports, green politicians across Europe have expressed concerns about Stein’s influence on the election, issuing a statement on November 1 urging her to withdraw and endorse Harris. “The race for the White House is too close for comfort,” statements from Green parties in countries such as Germany, France and Italy said, describing Harris as the only viable candidate to prevent a Trump comeback.
Stein’s campaign rejected calls to step down. His team responded, “We are committed to this presidential campaign and will never betray our supporters… no matter what any anti-democratic individual or group might suggest.”
The trends of the first results have come and Republican candidate Donald Trump is leading with 178 electoral votes and 52.1 percent popular votes. His rival Kamala Harris is in second place with 99 electoral votes and 46.7 percent popular votes. Green Party candidate Jill Stein did not receive any electoral votes, but received 229,300 votes, 0.4 percent of the popular vote.
