As Election Day approaches, Democrats have launched a $500,000 ad campaign aimed at dissuading voters in key swing states from supporting third-party candidates Cornel West and Jill Stein. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced Monday that these ads will target young voters on Instagram and YouTube, reminding them that supporting West or Stein could inadvertently help Republican Donald Trump.
Using a video from a June Trump rally, where he praised both candidates for taking votes from Democrats, the DNC hopes to underscore the potential impact of a divided vote. Trump’s comment, “She takes 100% from them. He takes 100%,” is featured in the ads to emphasize the importance of unified support for Democrat Kamala Harris.
"In "last minute push," Democrats go after Jill Stein, Cornel West in digital ads aimed at young voters . . . They're spending $500,000 on this, roughly a third of what the Stein campaign has raised. @DrJillStein @CornelWest https://t.co/h1mbi29pJa
— AnnGarrison (@AnnGarrison) October 29, 2024
Democrats have taken an aggressive approach this year to prevent losses in battleground states, pointing to narrow losses in 2000 and 2016 where third-party candidates played a significant role. In those elections, Green Party support was believed to have cost Democrats the electoral votes they needed to win.
Stein, who previously ran as the Green Party nominee in 2016, recently addressed supporters in Phoenix, criticizing both major parties over their support for Israel, labeling both Harris and Trump as “genocidal candidates.” Stein urged voters to resist pressure to vote for the “lesser evil” and vote their conscience instead.
Democrats go after Jill Stein, Cornel West in digital ads aimed at young voters – ABC News via @ABC – https://t.co/nh4FkO4Tqa
— stevenfromct (@stevenfromct) October 29, 2024
Jason Call, Stein’s campaign manager, added to the message, saying, “We want them to lose,” referring to the Democratic ticket. He suggested the consequences of another Democratic term could be more damaging than Trump’s presidency, fueling debate among left-leaning voters. Democrats hope their new ad campaign will convince voters to stand united in crucial swing states.
