Democrats are taking third-party threats seriously this time

Democrats are taking third-party threats seriously this time

The presidential election is official; president biden and former president donald trump The parties finalized their nominations on Tuesday.

But this year, Democrats are clear: They don’t want a re-election from 2016, when they came in third.–The party’s candidates received millions of votes, and many political commentators still say those votes contributed to President Trump’s defeat. Hillary Clinton.

This time, Democrats are ready.The Biden campaign and the political machine aiming to defeat Trump are taking third-party candidates seriously. —This is a clear difference from the Democratic Party in 2016.

before the third time–party candidate gets in a significant number of states On the ballot (and before a candidate is chosen), Democrats Started organizing:

• of Democratic National Committee We have a dedicated staff including veteran strategists Rhys Smith, working to defeat third-party candidates.they filed a complaint about the allegations Violations of Election Campaign Laws by Super PAC American Values ​​2024; Who supports independent candidates? Robert F. Kennedy Jr.to the Federal Election Commission.
• In a note provided exclusively to The Early, center-left think tank third wayNo Labels, a group opposed to Trump’s inauguration as president, debunks the moderate group’s claim that the planned unified ticket will be canceled if the bid appears to benefit President Trump. The group called out the following: “Off-ramp” is “fantasy”.
• Third Way complained to the Secretary of State about the super PAC’s support of Kennedy.
• american bridgethe Democratic Party Opposition Research Group closely tracks third-party candidates.
• “President Biden’s allies have formed an organization called a super PAC. clear choiceThe aim was to prevent third-party and independent candidates from gaining momentum before the November elections,” our colleague said. michael sherrer This morning’s report.

“We expect the 2024 election to be close and are preparing for all contingencies,” a DNC spokesperson said. Matt Corridoni Said. “This includes ensuring that independent and third-party candidates play by the rules.”

Litigation against third parties

Third-party candidates in this cycle could be numerous, and the implications are significant.

Kennedy plans to announce his running mate in the coming days and spoke to football players aaron rodgers and the previous Minnesota Governor Jesse VenturaMy colleague Michael reports.

Meanwhile, No Labels appoints panel today According to Michael’s report, it was to discuss his ticket to the presidential election.

Although the group has since struggled to find candidates, Most prominent politicians drop out, relatively unknown Georgia Republican Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan is reportedly in talks to become a candidate.

Professor at Princeton University cornel west May run and re-elect Green Party candidate Jill Stein In general.

In an election where voters fear a rematch from 2020, they may at least be more likely to be interested in third parties.

“History shows that disaffected voters gravitate toward candidates from the two major parties, but the downside to both parties outweighs the upside, and no two-party candidate has ever been so unpopular. There wasn’t,” the Republican pollster said. Whit Ayers Said. “It would not be surprising if a larger proportion of voters choose someone other than the two main candidates.”

It’s unclear at this point where third-party voters will come from, but Democrats fear they could become potential Biden voters.

“I think there will be a more concerted effort to understand who these people are and why they should be avoided.” matt bennettCo-founder of Third Way.

In 2016, the third-party spoiler moniker was real.

Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by a combined margin of just 67,000 votes in the closest swing states that decided the election: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.libertarian gary johnson and Stein, of the Green Party, received more than 500,000 votes among: Those three states.

In 2020, with no major third-party options, Biden narrowly won. That year, third-party candidates failed to win significant votes.

Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans are concerned that a third party will usurp Biden’s candidacy. Those voters could be critical of Biden as he attracted Trump voters who were dissatisfied with his narrow 2020 victory.

“If you were a Republican who refused to support Trump in 2020, you had no other choice.” mark shortformer top advisor to the vice president mike pence.

Kennedy’s national poll numbers are in the mid-teens, unusually high for a third-party candidate. He participated in the Democratic primary, but switched to running as an independent in the general election.He also tried running on Libertarian Party ticket.

Political commentators say Kennedy’s approval ratings are currently high because voters know his name but know little about him. That includes his anti-vaccine platform and support for conspiracy theories.

On the surface, it may appear that Kennedy would Takes votes away from Trump, but Democrats fear he could end up doing the same. It hurt Biden. One of the top donors to Kennedy’s super PAC, timothy mellonhas contributed at least $20 million per FEC filing and is also a major donor to Trump.

as After holding focus groups with disaffected Trump supporters, the New York Times concluded that “in swing states where Mr. Kennedy is likely to vote this fall, we are taking the Kennedy element of this election quite seriously.” It should be accepted,” he wrote.

US region Judge Eileen M. Cannon is scheduled to hold a hearing today on two motions to dismiss the classified documents lawsuit against Trump. Here’s what you need to know:

Presidential Records Act: One of the removal motions focuses on the Presidential Records Act, which states that the president’s and vice president’s records (including classified documents) “belong to the public and are to be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration at the end of the presidential term. ” is stipulated. “Our colleagues perry stein I will report.

• Trump’s claims: “Trump’s lawyers argued in a 17-page filing last month that as president, Trump had the “virtually unreviewable” power to designate presidential records as private. They argued that the National Archives had authority only over presidential records, not personal records, and therefore had no right to demand that the president return the materials. Trump’s lawyers also argue that the responsibility for recovering presidential documents rests with the Archives as a civil matter, and that the records office should not have referred the matter to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution. .

Espionage laws: In a second motion to dismiss, Trump’s lawyers argued that the section of the Espionage Act that Trump is accused of violating, which prohibits the intentional retention of national defense information by a person who is not authorized to possess it, argues that “if applied to President Trump, it would be unconstitutional and ambiguous.” Perry reports.

• Trump’s claims: “Mr. Trump is essentially saying that, as president, he was the person who had the ultimate authority to decide what was classified. So, according to his removal motion, he was the one who had the ultimate authority to decide what was classified. Trump’s lawyers also argued that the term “defense intelligence” is broad and that Congress has provided guidance to ultimately determine what it includes. He seems to be claiming that he hasn’t. ”

Special Counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution team rejected President Trump’s PRA and Espionage Act claims as “patently false.”

Race is an ever-present source of tension in President Trump’s Georgia case

our colleagues amy gardner Explore how race affected Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani T. Willis(D) Election interference lawsuits against Trump and his allies and efforts to disbar her from the lawsuits because of her romantic relationship with prosecutors. Nathan Wade and that all charges be dismissed.

“It’s hard to discuss that race. I haven’t done it It sparked controversy,” Amy wrote. “Race has cropped up repeatedly in testimony, court filings, and even email communications between Mr. Willis’ team and lawyers for Mr. Trump and his co-defendants.”

“Within weeks of Mr. Willis taking office in January 2021.”, she faced severe criticism for her decision to prosecute, and threats against her began,” Amy wrote. “Initially, they were primarily tied to her prosecution of rappers.” young thug, is on trial for alleged gang activity in the Atlanta area. Willis then launched an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, leading to felony charges against Trump and 18 of his allies in August. ”

“She had her home address made public and received a false 911 call.” to her house. Her voicemail inbox began to receive a steady stream of hateful messages, with callers wishing her death, telling her to watch, and threatening to target her family. There were also people. She said some people used racial slurs, including calling her a “monkey” and the n-word. Willis has moved from her home in South Fulton, stopped going to the grocery store, and now travels with a security guard of at least four police officers, whose route to court often changes. ” she said.

• “A man in Alabama said, Arthur Ray Hanson IIfacing federal felonies stemming from threatening voicemails he left in Willis and Fulton counties. sheriff patrick labatt. Hanson called Willis a “big fat black guy.” One of Hanson’s lawyers, timothy mays The Duluth, Georgia, man suggested that Hanson did not commit the crime because he did not speak to Willis in the first person, but his voicemail recordings suggest otherwise. ”
• “When I’m alone, I always look over my shoulder, Because I hear there are people out there trying to get you in trouble,” he told Willis on the recording. “It’s not just you, it’s your whole family. So guys, I’m sorry, you coons are coming after Trump because you have this power, but be careful.”

“And in early January, Trump co-defendants Mike Roman filed the motion. Willis accuses him of hiring Wade in November 2021, when he was romantically involved with her, and then profiting from his employment by allowing Wade to take him on “luxurious” overseas trips.” Amy writes. “In the weeks that followed, the volume and tone of racist messages to Willis, some of which were anonymous and difficult to track, increased significantly, according to a sample of messages obtained by The Washington Post. ”

• “Willis received an email with a photo of himself and the words, ‘What a piece of shit…’ Another email showed her face pressed against a gallows. Another note, this one handwritten, says, “What?” Some crackers said “——-” about you putting that black money on your payroll. What is their business? Isn’t that the way n—— works now?’ The note ends with the phrase ‘SLAVERY FOREVER.’ ”

“Now, the investigation into Willis’ personal life has renewed a bigoted attack that perpetuates ugly sexual stereotypes about black men and women.” Amy writes.

• “A few weeks after Roman’s application,, a woman showed up at a Fulton County Commission meeting with a prop, a foot-long hot dog with the word “Nathan’s” written on it. “There is no barrier between me and Nathan’s Hot Dogs,” the woman said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “Now come here, my nice dark lunch.”

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