In a high-stakes move, Democrats have invested $500,000 in a digital ad campaign to steer swing-state voters away from Cornel West and Jill Stein, hoping to prevent a third-party impact on the close race. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) said Monday that the ads will target young voters through Instagram and YouTube, urging them not to divide support for Democrat Kamala Harris.
The ads highlight a clip from a Trump rally, where he praised West and Stein, saying, “She takes 100% from them. He takes 100%.” Democrats hope to show voters that a vote for either third-party candidate could ultimately aid Trump’s campaign in crucial battleground states.
"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
Reflecting on past narrow losses, Democrats remain wary of third-party candidates’ influence in tight races, pointing to 2016 when Jill Stein won over 132,000 votes in states where Clinton lost by just 77,000 combined. Their campaign has emphasized unity to prevent potential vote-splitting among left-leaning voters.
While campaigning in Phoenix, Stein criticized both major parties’ support for Israel, calling Trump and Harris “genocidal candidates” due to their foreign policy stances. She encouraged her supporters to vote based on principles rather than fear, despite DNC warnings about the risks of a divided vote.
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
Stein’s campaign manager, Jason Call, reinforced this position, stating, “We want them to lose,” in reference to the Democratic ticket. He argued that the Democratic agenda may pose more harm than another Trump term, deepening ideological divides. The DNC’s campaign is a last-minute attempt to consolidate support in swing states, with the hope of avoiding past election pitfalls.
