‘News to Me’: Cornel West Reacts on NewsNation to Report GOP Helping Him Get Ballot Access

Cornel West denied any knowledge of GOP operatives helping his independent presidential campaign get ballot access during a recent NewsNation appearance.

NewsNation’s Connell McShane pressed West on Wednesday about an NBC News report indicating GOP operatives are helping West get ballot access in the hopes that he will act as a “spoiler” for President Joe Biden in key battleground states.

“That is news to me. This campaign does not welcome gangster elements from whatever party, it could be Trump’s party, it could be Biden’s party, or any other party,” West said.

The independent presidential candidate said his campaign is “breaking our necks” to get ballot access, a costly effort, especially for independent campaigns. He did admit, however, that there are elements out of the campaign’s control.

“It’s also true of course that we have no control — that is to say you got a number of spies, you’ve got traitors, you’ve got secret donors, and so forth. We are moving forward to do all that we can to get on every ballot,” he said.

McShane also pressed West on the “spoiler” accusation, noting that even his low polling in states like Michigan could indicate a potential impact in a close race between Biden and Donald Trump.

“How is that not being a spoiler because you’re not going to win Michigan and you’re not going to become president according to any of the polls, if they are any indication of that? That is spoiling, right?” he asked.

The race, West argued, is in need of an “alternative” and elections should come down to many options where each candidate makes their “case,” rather than a binary choice between two major parties.

“No, that’s not spoiling at all. The people have a choice and that’s people critically thinking and making that choice,” he said. “That’s not a spoiler at all.”

Watch above via NewsNation.