From Kanye West to ‘Trumpier than Trump’ Don Blankenship, third party and independent candidates in race for White House

Election campaigns led by the Donald Trump-Mike Pence and Joe Biden-Kamala Harris combines have retained prominence ahead of the 3 November polls in the United States leaving behind candidates from other political fronts.

While popular faces like musician Kanye West and cryptocurrency billionaire Brock Pierce entered the fray for the election, it should be noted that the last president not belonging to the Democrat or Republican parties was Millard Fillmore, a member of the Whig party, who served in the position from 1850 to 1853. George Washington, the first president, was the only independent candidate in US’ history to win the country’s general election.

Even though over 7.6 million Americans had voted for nominees not belonging to the Republican or Democratic fronts, it remains to be seen if any of the more than 30 third party and independent candidates running for president in at least one state will garner a minimum of 270 electoral votes.

Kanye West

The musician and entrepreneur announced that he would be running for President on 4 July as an independent member of the Birthday Party, along with his running mate Wyoming preacher Michelle Tidball. West qualified for presidential ballot access in 12 states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah and Vermont. Among his election promises are ending abortions rights, police reform and making renewable energy a top priority.

Don Blankenship

‘Trumpier than Trump’ Blackenship is the former CEO of Massey Energy Company and the presidential nominee of the far-Right Constitution Party. Like Trump, he has been in favour of building a border wall and curtailing abortion rights. He will appear on the ballot in 21 states, along with a write-in campaign in Vermont, Pennsylvania and Alabama.

Blankenship was convicted of a conspiracy to violate mine-safety laws after 29 miners who worked for him were killed in an explosion in 2010. He served a one year prison sentence and was released in 2017.

Jo Jorgensen

A psychology lecturer by profession, the 63-year-old is running for president as a candidate of the Libertarian Party. She is the first female presidential nominee from the third largest party in the United States.

She was former Libertarian Party presidential nominee Harry Browne’s running mate in 1996 and also ran for South Carolina’s 4th Congressional District in 1992. A staunch critic of mass incarceration, foreign military operations and big federal programmes, Jorgensen and her running mate entrepreneur Jeremy ‘Spike’ Cohen will appear on the general election ballot in all 50 states as well as in Washington DC.

Howie Hawkins

A social activist and retired construction activist, he is the Green Party’s presidential candidate and had run for the position of the New York Governor in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

Howie and his running mate Angela Nicole Walker will appear on the ballot in 30 states, including Washington DC. He has Medicare for All and Green New Deal on his election agenda. While Jorgensen has captured 4 percent of registered voters, Hawkins garners 1 percent support, according to Pew Research Center, making him the second most popular among independent and third party candidates.

Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente

Representing the Alliance Party, he comes with the experience of having run for US president in 2016, mayor of New York City and the US senate in nine states.

The 65-year-old businessman has expressed support for a single-payer health care system, immigration reform and increased investment in renewable energy.

He will appear with his running mate Darcy Richardson on general election ballots in 15 states and will run a write-in campaign in three other states. In California, he is on the ballot as the American Independence Party nominee with Kanye West as his running mate.

Brian T Carroll

A presidential nominee from the American Solidarity Party, Carroll will contest along with running mate and fellow educator Amar Patel. He has been vocal about his opposition to death penalties and support for health care for all and climate protection.

The duo will appear on the ballot in Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, Guam, Mississippi, Vermont and Rhode Island and will have a write-in campaign in 32 other states.

Brock Pierce

The 39-year-old cryptocurrency billionaire was endorsed by the Independence Party of New York at its presidential nominating convention in August and has pumped in over three million of his own dollars into his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data.

He has expressed support for issues like legalising marijuana, expansion of the immigration system, elimination of carbon emissions and healthcare for all.

He is on the general election ballot in 15 states and Washington DC and will have write-in campaigns in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Alabama.

Gloria La Riva

San Francisco labour and anti-war activist is a candidate from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and will be contesting alongside running mate Sunil Freeman.

She was the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s nominee in 2008 and 2016 and also ran for California governor twice and San Francisco mayor once. The issues she has laid focus on include climate change, human rights, ending racism and police brutality, free education and health care and LGBTQ rights.

La Riva and Freeman will appear on the 2020 general election ballot in 15 states with a write-in campaign in 12 others.

Alyson Kennedy

A pro-labour union member who works at a Walmart in Texas and previously worked in coal mines, Kennedy is running as the Socialist Workers Party candidate for president, along with running mate Malcolm Jarrett.

She ran for president in 2016, was the Socialist Workers Party candidate for vice-president in 2008, the US Senate candidate for Illinois in 2010 and also ran for mayor of Dallas in 2019. Kennedy and Jarrett will appear on the ballot in Colorado and Vermont, with petitions filed in other states.