“Kanye West will not gather enough voters to become president. But he can gather enough voters to determine the outcome of this election,” said Terrence Woodbury, a Democratic voter and partner at HIT Strategies.
Any third-party candidate can risk a tight election, and strategists say that’s even more true when it comes to candidate name recognition and nationwide fan support. Campaign events in the West have not been held or even required financial announcements filed. It keeps the organization of its campaign wrapped up. And the assistants are almost entirely focused on getting her name on the ballet.
So far, the music mogul has made ballots in only 10 states, making it virtually impossible for him to become the next president. But those states have potential battlefields, such as Colorado, Iowa and Minnesota.
“I think, unfortunately, it’s being used by these Republicans,” said Quentin James, founder and president of The Collective PAC, which aims to select more black candidates. “It’s really sad and, you know, we do our best to keep Kanye’s mental health under control. But, again, we don’t want to see politics. We want to see black voters and their voices heard at the ballot box.” “By voting for Kanye West, who has no right to come up with new ideas to win the White House.”
Critics said the bipolar disorder has been diagnosed by West in an attempt to further West’s campaign. The disorder is marked by a swing between mania and depression and the rap superstar has publicly stated that he is not taking medication for his illness.
“I’m telling the truth but I’m lying,” said Bassi Ikpi, a mental health lawyer who is the author of “It is disgusting to ask this man for help if he needs it and to promote it for his own benefit.” . ” “And live with bipolar disorder.” This is what they are doing with Kanye. They are not considering him a human being. They consider him a pawn. ”
The Western envoy did not respond to a list of questions from CNN about West’s campaign.
Birthday party
His South Carolina campaign kick-off immediately raised concerns about the rapper’s well-being.
West, who appeared to be wearing a bullet-proof vest, broke down in tears while discussing abortion and her family before moving on from one topic to another.
Said Catherine Berdych, an associate professor at Brigham and Psychology Professor G at Women’s Hospital, who has studied bipolar disorder for decades. “It will put him under a lot of stress regardless of the outcome.”
People who are most successful in treating the disease, he said, take medication and pay attention to changes in their mood, sleep, diet or stress.
‘Life is weird’
Mental health advocates have watched with concern, as the Western campaign has worked closely with Republican activists and attorneys – most of whom refuse to discuss operations with their campaign – which could help move the campaign forward.
With the West End entry into the presidential arena, the fashion and music mogul is well behind in wandering in to go to the ballet, a complex endeavor that varies from state to state.
Greg Keller, a former executive director of the Republican and American Conservative Union, said political activists from half a dozen GOPs are at the center of the West’s campaign and have helped other Republicans across the country.
Mark Jacoby, an executive at a company called Let the Waters Decide, is also helping the West campaign to collect signatures in many states. Jacoby has previously pleaded guilty to voter registration fraud related to his work for the California Republican Party.
A company representative said: “The allegations of misconduct over the years have nothing to do with any political campaign or voter. Let the voters decide. Voter registration, elections or anything else and the ongoing focus on it is wrong and irresponsible.”
Still, the West campaign has been led by allegations of falsely or fraudulently getting signatures, which led to West being kicked out of the Virginia ballot this week.
Local G.O.P. Activists are also popping up to help the West in a potential war state where the singer aims to be present on the ballet.
The Western campaign is still trying to get to the ballet in Wisconsin
An attorney representing the West in the Wisconsin lawsuit, Minnesota G.O.P. “I have been instructed not to comment,” said Eric Cardale, a former NA officer, when asked how he represents the West.
When asked who instructed him not to comment, he said, “I can’t really comment.”
George did not respond to requests for comment.
‘I got more money than Trump’
The West’s campaign also raises suspicions that the public support for the hip hop star for the president and his long-standing friendship with Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is little more than a wasteful effort.
This year, as West decides to run for president, he told Forbes, “I’m taking off the red hat.”
“Brother, no one can pay me,” West replied. “I got more money than Trump.”
West’s campaign has so far failed to file its required financial declaration forms, so it is not known in public who is bankrolling its campaign or who will pay for its campaign.
The Trump campaign Both presidents have denied playing any role in the West’s presidential bid.
“Kim Kardashian, she has a good heart, a very good heart and I like Kanye very much,” Trump said in a press briefing to the West last month. “I have nothing to do with him coming to the ballot box. We’ll see what happens, but I’m not involved.”
Last month, Kushner confirmed he had met West on a trip to Colorado, and said they had been friends for a decade.
“We both happened to be in Colorado and so we had a big discussion about a lot of things together,” Kushner said during a White House press briefing last month. “He has some great ideas for what the country wants to see happen.”
Living with bipolar disorder
In recent years, West has simultaneously created controversy – in support of Trump – and has openly addressed diagnoses with bipolar disorder.
“S — got manasin ‘, darpothin’, can help / sometimes I’ll scare myself,” West sings “Yeah.” From his 2018 album.
On the same track, he calls bipolar disorder his “superpower”.
He added: “There has to be a conversation about grace. There has to be a conversation about empathy, not just about Kanye West.”
After West’s South Carolina campaign closed, West’s wife publicly asked for it.
“We as a society are talking about giving grace to the issue of overall mental health,” Kardashian West wrote, “if we should also give it to the people who live with it in times of need.”
CNN’s Frederica Chauten, Kristen Holmes and Ethan Cohen contributed to this report.
.
