Rapper and producer Kanye West has just dropped out of the 2020 presidential race. The announcement of his withdrawal was made by campaign advisor Steve Kramer, and it marks the end of a short bid for the Oval Office.
“He’s out…” Kramer said in a recent interview. Aside from this brief statement, however, he isn’t currently authorized to say much else. “I’ll let you know what I know once I get all our stuff cancelled.”
Kramer, a get-out-the-vote specialist by trade, was hired to help get the musician’s name onto ballots in Florida as well as South Carolina. However, West’s participation in the race, which had been announced as recently as July 4th, posed many challenges.
Despite these challenges, though, he managed to amass a respectable amount of support. “We had overwhelming support to get him on the ballot,” Kramer said. “Whether anybody is going to vote for him or not is up to them.”
West could have made a successful candidate as he has a lot in common with Donald Trump. Neither had any political experience at the time they ran for office, have generally conservative values, and made a name for themselves as pop culture personalities.
Historically, such personalities have done well in American politics, too. Before Trump, Ronald Reagan ascended to the top of the country after ending his career as a Hollywood actor. Familiarity with the entertainment business not only boosts a person’s reputation, but also teaches its stars how to interact with and manipulate mass media.
Had Kanye West remained in the race, he would have run as a third party alternative to Trump and democratic lead Joe Biden. This, more than anything, though, might have put the nail in the coffin of the rapper’s campaign, as even Trump – a former independent candidate – didn’t manage to win until allying himself with the Republican Party.
