I appreciate the spirt of solidarity in this statement at a time when a number of prominent progressives are calling for a Biden vote everywhere and against a Green vote anywhere. That could wipe out the Green Party for failing to meet the votes threshold for ballot status in many states.

 

This statement also has its priorities straight. Election protection to stop Trump from stealing the election is what we have to do to send Trump packing from the White House to his waiting prison cell. Scapegoating the Greens is a diversion from this top priority.

 

Green presidential campaigns bring new voters to the polls who are disgusted with both corporate parties. 2016 exit polls showed that 61% of Jill Stein voters would have stayed home had she not been on the ballot.

 

Plug that percentage into Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania and the outcome would not have changed in 2016. It has been Black voter suppression and the Electoral College, not the Green Party, that has put Republican popular-vote losers in the presidency in the 21st century.

 

It has become a Green tradition to fight for election integrity. The statement mentions Green interventions in 2004 and 2016. Greens also fought to count the vote in Florida in 2000. My running mate, Angela Walker, was on the streets in Florida demanding a full count until Gore/Lieberman told them to go home, let the Democrats take care of it in the courts, and the US Supreme Court installed Bush in the presidency.

 

The Hawkins/Walker campaign will use its legal standing in 2020 to fight for counting all the ballots and to challenge any election meddling.

 

In many states where Biden is sure to win, the Greens need a small share of the anti-Trump vote to gain or maintain ballot status. It’s 1% Hawaii where Biden leads by 27%, 5% in Washington where Biden leads by 25%, 1% in Oregon where Biden leads by 17%, 3% in Massachusetts where Biden leaders by 39%, 2% in Connecticut where Biden leads by 20%, 1% in Maryland where Biden leads by 32%, 3% in Delaware where Biden leads by 21%, 2% in California where Biden leads by 27%, and 2% in New York where Biden leads by 31%.

 

In DC, Biden leads Trump by 95% to 5%. Running on the DC Statehood Green Party line, we want to beat Trump, too, in DC.

 

I understand why many progressives will decide to vote for Biden in a swing state. I don’t agree, but our disagreement on this one vote should not be an obstacle to working together going forward on election protection, ranked-choice voting, Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and ending militarized policing, the endless wars, and the new nuclear arms race.

 

I also hope people who settle for Biden will understand that for the Greens, there are no states safe from the predatory corporate duopoly. Every state is a battleground. Every state is under economic and environmental assault from the two governing parties.

 

When Greens fight fracking Pennsylvania and Ohio and the Enbridge pipelines in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan that take Alberta tar sands oil and fracked Bakken oil off to refineries, we are fighting ducking Democrats as well retrograde Republicans.

 

When Greens fight against police brutality and for affordable housing in the cities, we are fighting Democratic machines and the ruthless real estate industry that finances them.

 

We may not agree with a Biden vote anywhere, but we understand and respect those who make that choice in the close states. Trump must go and whether we cast our anti-Trump vote for the Democratic or the Green ticket, all progressives must work together after the election for real solutions.