Although Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris are the most talked-about presidential candidates for the November 5 election in the United States (USA), there are three other contenders who remain in the electoral race after 18 dropped out of the competition.
The other three remaining presidential candidates are independent Cornel West, Jill Stein for the Green Party, and former Democrat activist Chase Oliver. But who are they, and what are their proposals? We will find out in the following lines.
Although according to the polls, the three candidates running against the Democrats and Republicans have minority preference among voters, the truth is that they could be a headache for these two parties, as they could take away points from them, thus affecting the final outcome.
According to the electoral model in this country, not all presidential candidates in the US are on the ballots of all states, as each region has its own requirements, and therefore, sometimes it is a real effort to secure a spot on the ballot.
Everyone fights to appear on the ballots of the seven key states for the elections, such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina (where in addition to Trump and Harris, there are the three minority candidates: West, Stein, and Oliver). In Arizona only Oliver and Stein are competing, and in Nevada, only Oliver is running against Harris and Trump.
Profiles of the other presidential candidates in the United States
Cornel West
Cornel West is 71 years old. He is a professor and progressive activist who attempted to run for the presidential candidacy through the People's Party and later through the Green Party, but ultimately ended up running as an independent.
According to his website, he was a professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and emeritus professor at Princeton University. Currently, he teaches at Union Theological Seminary, where he teaches about the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as well as courses on Philosophy of Religion, Afro-American Critical Thought, and other topics. He has written 20 books and edited 13.
"I have a lifelong commitment to fighting for the poor and the workers, and the most vulnerable among us. My independent campaign for president is bigger than any one person," he says on his Instagram account, where he identifies with the values of "integrity, honesty, and decency."
West has been characterized by his harsh criticisms of former President Barack Obama, as well as Donald Trump, whom he has accused of "fascism" and has shown opposition to the war in Israel in Gaza. In addition, he defends the fight for LGBTQIA+ justice, which he describes as "a cornerstone of the moral and political agenda of this campaign. It is not just a commitment to tolerance, but to love, acceptance, and celebration of our rich diversity!"
Jill Stein
Jill Stein is a 73-year-old physician and activist. She graduated from Harvard University Medical School and has been known for her advocacy for the environment throughout her career.
This is not the first time she runs as a presidential candidate. She was nominated in 2012 and 2016. Currently, she is backed by the Green Party. The New York Times reported that she announced her third candidacy with a "charter of economic rights," in which she proposed to defend the right to employment, healthcare, housing, food, and education. It also highlighted her support for the fight against climate change and the protection of abortion and the rights of transgender individuals.
The mentioned media outlet reports that in 2016, Jill Stein received approximately 1.4 million votes, and a sector of the Democrats blamed her for taking away points from Hillary Clinton in crucial states.
Regarding the presidential elections of this 2024, Stein expresses on her website that "I am running for president with the Green Party to offer a choice for people outside the failed two-party system. We will put a professional worker, anti-war, climate action agenda at the forefront and center in this election and on the ballot in November."
Chase Oliver
Chase Oliver is the youngest of the presidential candidates in the US in 2024. He is a 38-year-old public activist who, according to The New York Times, describes himself as "armed and gay."
The aforementioned media outlet reported that his beginnings as a politician were against the war in Iraq and he also opposes the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Additionally, he wants to abolish the Federal Reserve.
He is a presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party, the third largest in the United States. However, he used to be a member of the Democratic Party.
He ran as a candidate for the Georgia Senate in 2022, and received approximately two percent of the votes.
"I am under 80 years old, I speak in complete sentences, I am not a convicted criminal... It's a very low bar, but I have managed to clear that," says Chase Oliver in a press release published on his website. On this site, he acknowledges that he will not win the presidential elections in the United States, but he is not worried because his goal goes beyond that.
"Heals is not going to win the elections, but that is not his only measure of success. Getting the party more media attention, better access to voting, and more libertarian candidates in local office are also on the agenda," he states on his website.
Oliver stated that “there are concrete things we can do to build the foundation of our party that do not require us to win the White House this November... And I believe that many of those things, if done correctly, will be seen as a victory in my eyes and a victory in the eyes of libertarians across the country.”