In a recent development, third-party presidential candidate Cornel West faced a setback in his bid to be included on the presidential ballot in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state. The Supreme Court denied West's emergency appeal, with Justice Samuel Alito declining the request in a brief order. Alito, who handles appeals from Pennsylvania, dismissed the appeal.
West, a prominent liberal academic and professor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary in New York, was seeking to be added to the ballot. It was noted that West's candidacy could potentially draw more votes away from Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris than from former Republican President Donald Trump. West's legal team in this case has strong ties to the Republican party.
The rejection by the Supreme Court follows an earlier ruling by U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. While expressing sympathy for West's claim, Judge Ranjan found that it was logistically impractical to reprint ballots and retest election machines at this stage without increasing the risk of errors. Ranjan cited established federal precedent that courts should refrain from disrupting imminent elections unless there are compelling reasons to do so.
This decision marks a significant development in the ongoing presidential race, particularly in Pennsylvania, a state that holds considerable importance in determining the outcome of the election. With West's bid to be included on the ballot now denied by the Supreme Court, the electoral landscape in Pennsylvania remains unchanged as the election draws near.
