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Report: Kanye West Drops 2020 Presidential Bid

This article is more than 3 years old.
Updated Jul 15, 2020, 04:58pm EDT

TOPLINE

Kanye West has dropped his short-lived 2020 White House bid, a political advisor close to West tells New York Magazine, just one week after the rapper turned presidential candidate confirmed he was serious about running in a wide-ranging interview with Forbes.

KEY FACTS

“He’s out,” Steve Kramer, West’s “get-out-the-vote specialist” confirmed to the magazine on Tuesday.

Last Wednesday, West told Forbes that he was all-in on a presidential bid, after many speculated the run might be a publicity stunt: “Like anything I’ve ever done in my life,” West said, “I’m doing to win.”

The next day, TMZ reported that West’s family feared the rapper was suffering from a bipolar episode.

Kramer, who runs a political firm that helps get candidates on the ballot, told New York magazine that West had already begun to a build out a campaign operation in a frantic effort to get the rapper on the ballot in key states.

West had hired both “paid and volunteer” staff, Kramer claimed, to help him obtain the number of signatures required to get on the ballot in Florida and South Carolina.

When New York magazine reporter Ben Jacobs reached out to West’s publicist for confirmation, the rapper’s team “went dark,” and Kramer subsequently confirmed that West had dropped out of the race.

West did not immediately respond to a text message on Wednesday from Randall Lane, Forbes’ chief content officer who interviewed West.

Key background

Earlier this month, West announced his intention to run for president in an abrupt message on Twitter, after previously stating he’d run for president in 2024. Several days later, the rapper confirmed he was serious about a third-party bid under a new banner, “The Birthday Party,” in an interview with Forbes. West also opened up to Forbes about his opposition to President Trump, whom he originally supported. “I am taking the red hat off, with this interview,” West said.

News peg

West jumped into the presidential race extremely late, and political analysts noted the rapper would struggle to get on the ballot in many states. When West announced, deadlines had already passed to file as an independent candidate in Texas, Indiana, New Mexico and North Carolina.

Tangent

West also peddled Covid-19 vaccine conspiracy theories in the interview with Forbes, indicating he planned on being “extremely cautious” about a vaccine and claiming the government was attempting to put “chips” inside us.

Surprising fact

West proposed a running mate to Forbes last Wednesday, a Cody, Wyoming, native named Michelle Tidball, who describes herself online as a “biblical life coach.” West had not previously mentioned Tidball, though the rapper owns a ranch in the town of Cody and has spent a considerable amount of time there in recent years.

What to watch for

During the course of his interview with Forbes, West endorsed multiple proposals to increase voting access, including making Election Day a national holiday. Thought West may not be on the ballot in 2020, he could pivot to focusing on voting rights issues.

Further reading

Kanye West Says He’s Done With Trump—Opens Up About White House Bid, Damaging Biden And Everything In Between (Forbes)

Kanye’s Short-Lived Attempt to Get on the 2020 Ballot (New York Magazine)

Exclusive: Here’s How Kanye West Can Impact The Presidential Race In A Big Way, Even After Dropping Out (Forbes)

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