Independent Party Candidates: Who Are They?

Several independent candidates have emerged to challenge the Democratic and Republican nominees in the 2024 US presidential election. Notable independent candidates include Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist; Cornel West, an academic and activist; and Jill Stein, a three-time Green Party nominee. These candidates offer alternative perspectives and policies that appeal to voters who are critical of the mainstream parties. The presence of these high-profile independent candidates adds an interesting dynamic to the 2024 election, potentially impacting the strategies and calculations of the major-party candidates.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr

Kennedy is the nephew of former US President John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated while running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed doubts about the official narrative of his father's assassination, advocating for a reinvestigation of the case. He launched a petition on his presidential campaign website for the Biden administration to release all remaining documents related to the assassination.

Kennedy is known for his activism and has written books on various subjects, including the environment, vaccinations, biography, and American history. Some of his notable works include "The Real Anthony Fauci" and "Vax-Unvax: Let the Science Speak," which were New York Times bestsellers. He has also been involved in activism related to environmental protection and has questioned the safety of vaccines.

In the 2024 election, Kennedy secured 757,371 votes (0.49%), with his highest statewide vote share being 1.96% in Montana. He received over 1% of the vote in several states, including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.

Cornel West

West has held academic positions at several prestigious universities, including Harvard University, Yale University, Union Theological Seminary, Princeton University, Dartmouth College, Pepperdine University, and the University of Paris in Saint-Denis. He is also a published author, with influential books such as "Race Matters" (1993) and "Democracy Matters" (2004).

West has a history of political activism and has supported various presidential candidates in the past. In 2000, he worked as a senior advisor to Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley. After Bradley lost in the primaries, West became a supporter of Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, speaking at several of his rallies. In 2008, West publicly supported Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama but later retracted his support, criticising Obama's role as "a war president with a peace prize".

In 2023, West announced his intention to run for president in 2024 as an independent candidate, abandoning his previous candidacy for the Green Party's nomination. He established the Justice For All Party (JFA) to pursue ballot access in specific states, including Florida, North Carolina, and Washington. West chose Dr. Melina Abdullah, a professor and activist, as his running mate.

West's campaign faced challenges, including disqualification from the Michigan presidential election ballot and difficulties obtaining the required signatures to qualify for ballots in other crucial states. Despite these obstacles, West garnered support from Republican and Trump allies, who sought to bolster his ballot access in swing states. West expressed ambivalence about this support, and some criticised him for aligning with individuals defending aggressive actions by foreign leaders.

West's independent candidacy and progressive platform highlighted issues such as housing, healthcare, decent jobs, and environmental concerns. He advocated for ending the "iron grip of the ruling class" and ensuring true democracy in the United States.

Jill Stein

Stein's political career began in 1998 when she started protesting the "Filthy Five" coal plants in Massachusetts. She launched her first presidential campaign in 2011, with Ben Manski, a Wisconsin Green Party leader, as her campaign manager. Her major primary opponents were actress Roseanne Barr and activist Kent Mesplay.

Stein's platform has consistently emphasised social and economic equality, including the rights to a living wage, housing, healthcare, childcare, education, retirement, healthy food, and clean water. She has also been an outspoken critic of US foreign policy, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Her 2016 campaign was described by some as a possible spoiler campaign that may have benefited Donald Trump.

In 2012, Stein became the presumptive Green Party nominee after winning two-thirds of California's delegates. She was the first Green Party presidential candidate to qualify for federal matching funds. That year, she selected Cheri Honkala, an anti-poverty activist, as her running mate. In 2016, she ran again with Ajamu Baraka as her running mate, against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump. Trump ultimately won the election.

Stein ran for president for a third time in 2024, with Butch Ware as her running mate. Her campaign focused on an anti-war stance, universal healthcare, free public education, an eco-socialist "real Green New Deal", and strong worker rights.

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Mike ter Maat

In 2022, ter Maat ran for office as a Libertarian during Florida's 20th congressional district's special election, earning 0.7% of the vote. He commented on his run for Congress, stating that "one of the biggest problems we have as a nation is our deepening political divide and that as a Libertarian, I am particularly well-positioned to contributing to bridging this chasm."

Ter Maat began his campaign for the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential nomination in June 2022. At the 2024 Libertarian National Convention, he finished third for president among ten nominated candidates and several write-ins. After being eliminated, he endorsed Chase Oliver for the nomination and accepted Oliver's offer to run as his vice-presidential running mate.

Ter Maat served as a police officer for the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida from 2010 to 2021, after which he retired and moved to Kinsale, Virginia. He has also held various political positions, including serving as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University and Barry University from 2008 to 2010, and as the chair of the Libertarian Party of Broward County, Florida.

Randall Terry

Randall Allen Terry is an American politician, anti-abortion activist, and television host. Born on April 25, 1959, Terry has been a prominent figure in the anti-abortion movement in the United States for decades. He founded the organization Operation Rescue, which became well-known for blockading abortion clinics starting in 1987. Terry led the group until 1991 and has been arrested over 40 times for his activism, including for violating a no-trespass order to protest a visit by President Barack Obama.

In addition to his activism, Terry has sought political office on multiple occasions. In 1998, he ran for the United States House of Representatives in Upstate New York as a Republican but was defeated in the primary by William "Bud" Walker. In 2006, he ran for a seat in the Florida Senate, again losing in the Republican primary. Terry has also made bids for Congress in Florida and the presidency as a Democrat, running in the 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries and winning 18% of the vote in the Oklahoma primary. He received endorsements from some Republican figures, such as Focus on the Family head James Dobson, but his candidacy was not universally supported within the party.

In 2024, Terry set his sights on the presidency once more, declaring his candidacy in March of that year. He was nominated by the Constitution Party for president on April 27, 2024, with Stephen Broden as his running mate. Terry's platform included a strong focus on anti-abortion issues, and he sought to air television ads in several states with abortion-related ballot initiatives. However, his campaign faced obstacles, as some state parties within the Constitution Party rejected his nomination, and he received criticism from the Democratic National Committee, which sought to deny him the privileges afforded to legitimate candidates.

Terry's website, "Voice of Resistance," provides a glimpse into his political views and activism. He has also utilized media appearances to gain attention for his causes, such as when he became the target of a prank by candidate Vermin Supreme during a debate in 2011. Terry's activism and political aspirations have made him a controversial figure in American politics, and he continues to be a vocal advocate for his beliefs.

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