Kanye West, a rapper who once called Trump “his brother” and visited the White House while donning a “MAGA” hat, announced on Twitter that he will run for President against Trump in 2020.
His announcement came via Twitter:
“We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020Vision”
We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States 🇺🇸! #2020VISION
— ye (@kanyewest) July 5, 2020
West, 43, as recently as March said he supported Trump in an interview with the Wall Street Journal:
West, who told me he is not registered to vote and doesn’t follow politics, announced in 2016 that if he had voted, he would have voted for Trump. He began wearing red MAGA hats and tweeted about his love for the president, noting they “are both dragon energy.”
West doesn’t disavow any of that, but he told me he resents that people make assumptions because he is black or a rapper or a college dropout. After he repeatedly returned to this topic over several weeks, I realized that West is driven by it. This is why he has been pouring himself into design projects, and getting bruised by them. “I’m a black guy with a red [MAGA] hat, can you imagine? …It reminded me of how I felt as a black guy before I was famous, when I would walk in a restaurant and people would look at you like you were going to steal something. ‘This is your place, Ye, don’t talk about apparel. This is your place, Ye, you’re black, so you’re a Democrat.’ ”
West’s announcement elicited support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk who tweeted: “You have my full support!”
You have my full support!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2020
However, don’t expect West who’s come accustomed to topping the music charts to top the election results…or even appear on the ballot.
With roughly four months to election day, time is not on Kanye’s side. He needs to get himself on the ballot in as many states a possible which is a difficult feat this late in the game.
While New Mexico, North Carolina, Maine, and Texas filing deadlines are the only ones that have passed, several other deadlines loom in the next 30 days. It will be a heavy lift, if not impossible, for Kanye West to secure himself on enough ballots to have a chance at winning the presidency.
However, there is one major role Kanye can play in 2020. It’s that of a spoiler.
If Kanye secures access to the ballot in any of the swing states (Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Minnesota) he could earn votes that would otherwise go to Trump or Biden which could tilt the electoral college in one of their favors.
