Election 2024 and Beyond
Trump won – Harris lost – Jill Stein a distant third. That is the headline summary of the November 2024 election.
The MAGAfied Republican Party will soon control the presidency, both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court, and much of the Federal judiciary. And that does not even consider state governors and legislatures. The Democrats failed to provide a coherent response to fifty years of bipartisan neoliberalism, and now find themselves bereft of a strategy. The US electoral system stands exposed as a hollow shell.
In what follows, we will touch on the Green Party’s experience in the 2024 election with emphasis on the presidential race and on California, before turning to the question of resisting Trump and preparing for 2026.
The Green Party’s Stein/Ware presidential ticket received about 782 thousand votes nationwide, or about 0.5% of the total. This was not enough to affect the outcome or win electoral college votes in any state. By comparison, Stein obtained about 1.45 million votes in her earlier 2016 campaign, or about 1.1% of the votes nationwide. In 2000, Green candidate Ralph Nader received over 2.8 million votes, about 2.7% of the national popular vote. This was a result that has yet to be surpassed by a Green presidential candidate.
Unlike Trump and Harris, Stein stood out for her opposition to the genocide in Gaza, a key component of Stein’s platform. According to an exit poll conducted by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), over 53% of US Muslim voters cast their vote for the Stein/Ware ticket. It is an open question as to how much of this support will be retained in future Green campaigns.
In the California presidential ballot, Jill Stein received about 188,000 votes, surpassing both the Libertarians (67,000) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation / Peace and Freedom (73,000), each by about a factor of two.
At least 18 Green Candidates ran for local office in California's November 5, 2024, general election, and 14 of the 18 (78%) candidates won their seats, according the California Green Party. These included 4 successful city council seats and 7 school boards. One of the successful school board candidates, Gabriel Mendoza of Monterey County, notes that his victory illustrates that the mainstream media distorts Latinx political behavior. He also notes that disenfranchised voters are seeking an alternative.
It is not too soon to start thinking about the 2026 elections. Butch Ware, Jill Stein’s 2024 vice presidential ticket mate, has already announced his intention to run for governor as a Green in California. In 2026, it is likely that the Greens will once again form an electoral alliance with Peace and Freedom, as we did in 2022 with the Left Unity slate. We know that Greens can win elections at the local level in CA. What we lack in San Diego are self-identified Green candidates. If you have ever thought about running for office, now is the time to act. Contact us through our website or email us at info@sdgreenparty.org. Let’s start the conversation.
At the same time, we must be prepared to understand and resist the worst of the Trump regime. It is no surprise that many of us look towards Trump’s January 20, 2025, inauguration with a mixture of fear and loathing. We remember Trump’s 2017 anti-Muslim campaign along with his failure to respond in a timely and effective manner to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working in alliance with other groups and individuals, Greens can help resist the worst of Trumpism, including immigrant deportations and climate change denialism. For now, though, let’s enjoy the holidays.