TOPLINE
Rapper and billionaire Kanye West turned up to appear on the New Jersey presidential ballot for the November election, the latest step he has taken in his lunar campaign to become commander in chief, and he faces increasing odds of winning. the current President Trump or the presumed Democrat nominee Joe Biden.
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West.
KEY FACTS
New Jersey election documents show West as a presidential candidate on an unofficial list, although his first name is misspelled “Kayne.”
West collected 1,327 petition signatures, well above the 800 required to appear on the New Jersey ballot as an independent candidate, according to reports.
Some states require independent candidates to collect signatures, while others require that fees appear on ballots.
West also requested to appear on ballots in Oklahoma, Illinois, South Carolina and Missouri, but the South Carolina election commission said on June 20 that West did not meet its deadline.
West failed to meet the application deadlines for North Carolina, Nevada, Florida, Michigan, Delaware, Texas, New Mexico, and Indiana, taking him out of the competition by 132 votes at the Electoral College, including South Carolina.
It is unclear whether West filed before the Maine deadline, which was Saturday.
Big number
More than 1,400. That is the number of people who ran to run for president this November, according to documents from the Federal Electoral Commission. the New York Times reported that the documentation required to declare a presidential candidacy is relatively simple and you do not need legal or political experience to complete it.
Key background
West announced his long-term candidacy on July 4. In addition to filing an appeal on a handful of ballots and filing basic documents with the FEC, he gave an extensive interview to Forbes about his budding campaign and political stance, declaring that he was no longer a follower of Trump. “I’m taking off my red hat,” said West, referring to the famous “Make America Great Again” baseball caps that were a signature of Trump 2016. West, who has previously spoken about having bipolar disorder, also made his first appearance in a campaign in South Carolina. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and railed against Harriet Tubman. He also cried on stage. The next day, West wrote in now-deleted tweets that he was trying to divorce his wife Kim Kardashian West, and accused her of “trying to lock me up like in the movie.” Salt. “Kardashian West posted a message to Instagram on Wednesday about her mental health and asked for compassion and empathy.” Living with bipolar disorder does not diminish or invalidate your dreams and creative ideas, no matter how great or impossible they may be to some, “he wrote. West apologized to his wife in a tweet Saturday.
Tangent
Analysis by Forbes suggests that if West takes on Trump and Biden in November, he is more likely to take away Trump’s votes.
What to look at
Whatever West does next. New York The magazine first reported on July 15 that West was leaving the race. Hours later, however, West paid the $ 35,000 fee to appear on the Oklahoma ballot. Then on July 22, West tweeted about potentially postponing his campaign to 2024, before deleting the post.
Further reading
Kanye West says he’s done with Trump: opens up about White House deal, hurting Biden and everything else (Forbes)
Report: Kanye West Withdraws 2020 Presidential Offer (Forbes)
Gap shares drop nearly 6% after Kanye West threatens to ‘walk away’ from ‘Yeezy Gap’ deal (Forbes)
Kim Kardashian addresses Kanye’s mental health after campaign rally (Forbes)
