Kanye West's presidential bid backed by 4 Republicans as rapper meets deadline to file as independent candidate
Kanye West's 2020 presidential bid is reportedly being assisted by at least four Republicans who are playing an active role in strengthening his campaign bid. Reports state that the rapper recently made a deadline to file as an independent candidate in Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 4. West, however, missed the deadline in South Carolina to officially run for president in the 2020 election in November. Reports state that the rapper never even applied to make the ballot in North Carolina where he held his first campaign rally.
The recent revelations have raised questions about the rapper's intentions to run for the 2020 presidency and whether the campaign is orchestrated by Republicans in an attempt to siphon votes from President Donald Trump's political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden in key swing states. Reports state that petitioning company Let The Voters Decided, headed by Mark Jacoby, has been assisting the rapper to secure signatures to run in at least three states: Ohio, West Virginia, and Arkansas. Jacoby, a senior Republican working for the Republican Party in California, was arrested in 2008, on charges of voter fraud.
Jacoby, in a statement to the New York Times, had said that his organization was non-partisan. He also refused to comment on his supposed ties with the fashion designer. "Anyone who is qualified to stand for election has the right to run," he told the outlet.
The rapper had taken to Twitter on the Fourth of July to write: "We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION." West, since then, has filed ballot paperwork in at least seven states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Vermont, West Virginia and now Wisconsin.
Reports state West’s nominating petitions were dropped off with state regulators in Madison by Lane Ruhland, a top Republica lawyer, before August 4 deadline. Ruhland, former general counsel for the state GOP, was captured on camera dropping off the papers. When reporters asked whether she had been hired by the rapper, she did not offer any comments.
A state Republican Party official also appeared to confirm Ruhland's involvement in the rapper's campaign. GOP spokesperson Alesha Guenther, while talking to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, wrote: "It appears that Kanye West made a smart decision by hiring an experienced election attorney. We welcome Kanye West and all other candidates who qualified for ballot access to the race." Reports state that the former executive director of the American Conservative Union, Gregg Keller, has also been listed as a contact for West's campaign in Arkansas. Keller was once considered to be Trump's campaign manager. While the fourth person linked to West's campaign is Chuck Wilton from Vermont.
West, last month, had paid the required fee to make the ballot in Oklahoma. He also filled out Federal Election Commission paperwork to officially make a run for the White House. The fashion designer, according to the forms, is running as an independent for BDY, which stands for the Birthday Party. West, in an interview with Forbes, had explained the name of his political party, saying "when we win, it's everybody's birthday."