Cornel West seeks Green Party nomination after already declaring People's Party candidacy

close

Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for June 14

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Progressive scholar and activist Cornel West is seeking the Green Party's nomination for president of the United States.

West, who has already declared himself a candidate under the People's Party, said the move is part of a larger effort to build a progressive coalition around his candidacy.

"In the spirit of a broad United Front and coalition strategy, I am pursuing the nomination of the Green Party for President of the United States," West wrote on Twitter.

THIRD-PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CORNEL WEST RIPS 'MEDIOCRE, MILQUETOAST' BIDEN: 'GET OFF THE CRACK PIPE'

Political activist Cornel West announces his candidacy for the U.S. presidency via social media, as the candidate for the People's Party, on June 5, 2023. (Cornel West via REUTERS)

West urged the public to "continue to support this unprecedented effort to empower precious poor and working people here and abroad."

He added, "I thank the volunteers of the People's Party for the initial launch!"

The Green Party reacted positively to West's announcement, saying the scholar's political values aligned with their own.

PROGRESSIVE ACTIVIST CORNEL WEST ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL RUN UNDER THIRD PARTY

"The Green Party welcomes Dr. Cornel West as a candidate seeking the party's nomination for president," the political federation said. "Dr. West is an important voice for social and economic justice in line with our party's platform."

From left, Dr. Cornel West, Annahita Mahdavi West and Rev. Al Sharpton attend the celebration of Harry Belafonte's 95th Birthday with Social Justice Benefit at The Town Hall in New York City.  (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

"We look forward to him participating in the nomination process," the Green Party continued.

West went after President Biden last week, referring to him as "mediocre" and "milquetoast" in his first interview since announcing his long-shot third-party run for the White House.

JESSE WATTERS: CORNEL WEST IS SLIDING INTO THE THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE SPACE

Appearing on KBLA's Tavis Smiley podcast, West pushed back on the notion his candidacy was potentially "pulling votes away from Biden" and laid into the Democratic Party for its candidate choices.

"When somebody chooses to vote for you, you’re not pulling votes away. You see, Biden doesn’t own any votes. He’s got to earn it. He’s got to earn it," West said. 

Dr. Cornel West delivers a keynote speech as the 57th Commemoration of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz at The Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in New York City. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

"If the Democrats are putting out mediocre, milquetoast, neoliberal politicians who can’t say a mumbling word about militarism, can’t say a mumbling word about a serious response to poverty, can’t say a mumbling word about serious White supremacist practices — I mean, Biden himself said America is not a racist society. I said, ‘Get off the crack pipe,’" he added. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

West was referring to a 2021 speech in which Biden said he didn't think America was a racist nation, but said that slavery and former Jim Crow laws "had a cost" on the country.

Fox News Digital's Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.