On Wednesday, Cornel West announced Black Lives Matter (BLM) leader Melina Abdullah will be his running mate for the 2024 election.
The Daily Caller reports that like independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., West needed a vice presidential pick to secure ballot access in various states, and has only gotten on the ticket in South Carolina, Utah, Alaska and Oregon.
The candidate discussed his decision to tap Abdullah, who is the co-founder of BLM Los Angeles and the director of BLM Grassroots, as his running mate during an interview on The Tavis Smiley Show.
“I wanted somebody who's heart, mind and soul is committed to the empowerment of poor and working peoples of all colors,” said West. “Melina has a history of longevity of putting her heart, mind and soul in the struggle.”
The candidate launched the “Justice for All Party” in late January to help the candidate get on the ticket in certain states “where it's easier to gain access as a party, as opposed to independent.” (RELATED: Report: Cornel West Leaves Green Party)
Green Party candidate Jill Stein is running for a third time in 2024. The Libertarian Party will nominate a ticket in May, and the centrist group No Labels announced on Thursday not to run a third-party candidate this cycle.
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