The Left thought it was just Trump they had to worry about in 2024. But now they’re in for a rude awakening.
Because a third-party surprise just threw Democrats into complete hysteria.
In Wisconsin — a critical battleground where every single vote holds weight — the Democrats are up to their usual tricks, doing everything in their power to sideline third-party candidates like Green Party’s Jill Stein.
This isn’t just strategy; it’s desperation. In four of the last six presidential elections, the margin of victory was razor-thin, less than 1% or around 20,000 votes. And the Democrats know that even a small shift could cost them the state.
Critics argue that this is precisely why Democrats are so determined to boot Stein and other third-party candidates off the ballot. They see the Green Party as a threat, siphoning off votes that they believe are rightfully theirs.
“You can count on [the Democrats] to challenge Green Party candidates’ ballot access, as they feel Greens will steal the vote from them,” said Wisconsin Green Party Elections Chair Pete Karas to the New York Post on Wednesday. He hit the nail on the head: instead of trying to earn those votes, Democrats are focused on eliminating competition and limiting voter choice.
Back in 2016, Democrats blamed Stein for Hillary Clinton’s loss, branding her a “spoiler candidate” after she drew 30,000 votes in Wisconsin — votes Clinton’s camp felt entitled to. But this ignores the reality that many third-party voters refuse to support either Trump or Kamala Harris, driven by a disgust with the two-party system.
“I’m tired of a two-party monopoly that doesn’t represent me,” said Roy Martin, a disabled veteran from Gresham, Wisconsin, who backs the Libertarian Party. Martin’s words echo the frustrations of many who feel betrayed by both parties, particularly the GOP, which he accuses of exploiting veterans for their votes while only caring about military spending.
For Green Party supporters, the war in Gaza is a pivotal issue, according to state co-chair Michael White. Stein has been vocal about her opposition to Israel’s actions, labeling them as “genocide,” and the party’s platform calls for boycotts, economic sanctions against Israel, and the abolition of the Jewish state to create a “secular” nation governed by both Israelis and Palestinians.
This stance has garnered significant support among voters who are critical of Israel and disillusioned with the Democrats’ unwavering support for Biden’s pro-Israel policies.
This was evident in the 48,000 protest votes cast in the Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary earlier this year, driven by a movement critical of Biden’s stance on Israel. White, a dermatologist and military veteran, emphasized that his party’s supporters feel used and discarded by the Democrats: “They’re using us as pawns and then pushing us aside.”
In a rare win for democracy, the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge from the Democratic National Committee aimed at removing Stein from the November ballot.
The Democrats’ argument? That the Green Party didn’t have any state officeholders or legislative candidates authorized to nominate presidential electors — a weak attempt at voter suppression that constitutional law expert Rick Esenberg warned could disenfranchise voters and undermine future third-party ballot access.
Undeterred, the Democrats made another attempt on Tuesday to kick the Green Party, Constitution Party, and Libertarian Party off the ballot, using the same flimsy legal argument. Meanwhile, they maneuvered to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot, despite his request to be removed after endorsing Trump. Clearly, the Democrats only care about rules when it benefits them.
Phillip Anderson, a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, expressed his outrage at the Wisconsin Election Commission’s efforts to remove candidates from the ballot. “I’m appalled that the [Wisconsin Election Commission] would try to take anyone off the ballot,” Anderson said.
He pointed out that third-party candidates play a crucial role in pushing major parties to address issues that matter to voters who don’t align with the Democrats or Republicans.
“I rebel against the idea people are wasting their vote if they vote for a 3rd party,” said Anderson, who received over 87,000 votes statewide, or 3%, when he ran in the 2016 Senate race.
Anderson’s campaign resonates with a diverse group of voters who are fed up with the corruption in both the DNC and the Republican National Committee and who are drawn to his stance on issues like government transparency and opposition to endless wars.
Anderson supporter Reese Wood, a state employee from south-central Wisconsin, told the New York Post he’s voting in opposition to “endless wars,” and corruption in government and in favor of individual liberty — sentiments that are increasingly common among voters tired of the Democrat-Republican stranglehold on American politics.
As the election draws near, an Emerson College Poll released Thursday shows the presidential race in Wisconsin remains a nail-biter, with Trump leading Harris by one point at 49% to 48%. The Democrats may try to manipulate the system, but the fight for Wisconsin is far from over.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
