Georgia voters are likely to be able to choose from five candidates for president after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Thursday put Cornel West and Claudia De la Cruz back on the ballot. Raffensperger, an elected Republican, overruled findings made last week by an administrative law judge that removed West and De la Cruz. West is running as an independent.
They had green party support.
Stein and De La Cruz might not win, but they do play a crucial role in pushing the political conversation by highlighting issues that the major parties prefer to avoid. Their campaigns can bring attention to important topics like climate change, healthcare reform, and income inequality, which forces the mainstream candidates to address these issues to avoid losing votes.
While it might seem like the needle hasn’t moved, the presence of third-party candidates has historically influenced the platforms of major parties, as we’ve seen with issues like minimum wage increases and environmental policies.
Running for office at any level—whether local, state, or national—contributes to the broader fight for social change by challenging the entrenched two-party system and advocating for alternative solutions.
When was that?
Minimum wage has been $7.25/hr since 2009.