Hillary Clinton’s loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 election was attributed to many factors, but for Democratic Party activists, one woman stands out: Jill Stein. The 74-year-old Jewish activist ran as the Green Party’s candidate, appealing to left-leaning voters.
When the final votes were tallied, Stein had garnered tens of thousands more votes than the margin by which Trump won in the crucial “blue wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. This memory continues to haunt Democrats as the 2024 election approaches.
With the race expected to be even tighter than 2016, Stein’s renewed candidacy could once again help Trump secure victory. Polls show Stein capturing about 1% of the national vote, enough to sway key battleground states. At a rally in June, Trump even acknowledged her influence, saying, "I like her very much. You know why? She takes 100% from them."
While independent candidates can't realistically win U.S. elections, in a deeply polarized political climate where every vote in swing states matters, a third-party candidate like Stein could still change the outcome. Democrats have already felt the impact of this twice in the 21st century.
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