Republicans in at least four states, including a crucial swing state, appear to be helping music superstar Kanye West gain ballot access for November's election, actions that raise new questions about the hip-hop star's presidential bid.
West's bid has been marred by missed deadlines and faulty filings that have frustrated his efforts to make the ballot in enough states to actually win the presidential election.
But people connected to Republican politics have worked to get him on the ballot in states like Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois, NBC News reported. And his fledgling campaign did successfully submit paperwork Tuesday aimed at getting on the ballot in Wisconsin, a pivotal battleground state President Donald Trump won by about 23,000 votes in 2016, seemingly with Republican help.
"It's hard not to feel like Republican operatives are using a mentally ill, very famous rapper who is not going to be president because they think for some reason that it's going to take Black votes away from Joe Biden," said Jesse Lehrich, a Democratic strategist who worked for Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016. "To the extent that people are using him for their own political gain, it's pretty gross and I hope he gets whatever help he needs."
