People's Party | |
|---|---|
| Founded | November 9, 2017; 8 years ago (2017-11-09)[1] |
| Dissolved | 2024 |
| Preceded by | Draft Bernie for a People's Party |
| Succeeded by | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024 presidential campaign |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Syncretic |
ThePeople's Party (formerly theMovement for a People's Party,MPP) was apolitical party in theUnited States. MPP formed in 2017, after the2016 presidential election, as a successor to Nick Brana's "Draft Bernie for a People's Party" group.Bernie Sanders declined to be the People's Party's figurehead, instead, seeking the presidential nomination in the2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.
MPP started as aprogressive orleft-wing populist organization.[2][3] MPP's ideology drifted towardsyncretic position, incorporatingvaccine hesitancy and bringingright-wing populism under abig tent banner.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] In 2023, Brana joined theRobert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024 presidential campaign. In 2024, MPP's website ceased updates.
In 2017, Nick Brana founded the Movement for a People's Party (MPP) out of the "Draft Bernie for a People's Party" group,[1] which had failed to gain Bernie Sanders's support.[11][12] Brana had worked onSanders's 2016 presidential campaign as the National Political Outreach Coordinator.[13]
In September 2017, the group gave an invitation with 50,000 signatures to Sanders to lead the creation of the People's Party,[14] which Sanders ignored.[15]
In August 2020, the organization held a virtual People's Convention[16][17] that was viewed by 400,000 people on various platforms.[13][17] Speakers included former Democratic Party2020 presidential election candidateMarianne Williamson, formerHarvard University professor and philosopherCornel West,Sanders 2020 co-chairNina Turner, former Minnesota governorJesse Ventura, comedian/political commentator/satiristJimmy Dore, journalistChris Hedges and podcaster Ryan Knight.[17] The convention's purpose was to "vote on forming a major new political party free of corporate money and influence,"[16] a measure that was approved by 99% of those viewing the convention online.[17] While many speakers expressed distaste for the candidates in the 2020 presidential election, the party did not contest the election.[17] Brana said that their goal was "to form a party beginning in 2021, to run in the midterms in 2022 and, perhaps, to run a presidential candidate in 2024."[18]
In December 2020, the first People's Party state organization was registered inMaine.[19][20] According toMichael Sylvester, the party will focus on pushing congressional officials into supporting a floor vote forMedicare for All.[19]
In September 2021, the People's Party gained ballot access in Florida, the first state where it has done so.[21][22]
In February 2022, Brana was accused ofsexual harassment by Zana Day, former MPP executive director,[23] which was corroborated by coworkerPaula Jean Swearengin.[24] Brana denied these claims, calling them "false and politically motivated," and accused other MPP board members of a "liberal takeover attempt."[25] As a result, he forced out several MPP board members.[23]
While the People's Party has never run candidates of its own, it offered its endorsement of two existing candidates' campaigns in2018. During the2024 United States presidential election,Cornel West initially launchedhis presidential campaign as a People's Party candidate, then distanced himself from the party eight days later. The party's founder, Nick Brana, worked on theRobert F. Kennedy Jr. campaign.
On June 5, 2023, Cornel West announced his candidacy forpresident with the People's Party, becoming the first person to run for office under the People's Party banner.[23] Due to the party's controversies and lack of ballot access, West was challenged and criticized by some progressive activists for associating himself with the group.[26] Some progressives called for West to work instead with theGreen Party, which has run presidential candidates for decades and has much larger ballot access.[10] At the same time, someDemocrats feared that, withoutranked-choice voting, a West third-party run might be a "spoiler", divertingswing state votes from the presumptive front-runner,Joe Biden, in favor of the2024 Republican nominee.[27] On June 14, West announced that he was instead seeking the endorsement of the Green Party.[28] West later changed his affiliation once again toindependent.[29]
In April 2023, PP encouragedRobert F. Kennedy Jr. to run as anindependent "outside of the corrupt duopoly".[30] In October, Brana began working for Kennedy'spresidential campaign.[31] Brana served as Kennedy's "ballot access director."[32] In August, Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsedDonald Trump.[33]
| Year | Candidate | Chamber | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Tim Canova | House | Florida | 23 | 13,697 | 5.0% | Lost | ran asNo Party Affiliation candidate | [34][35] |
Before the2022 United States midterm elections, the People's Party announced that it was "aiming to run a dozen or more federal races, including a seat or two in the U.S. Senate."[36] The party, ultimately, did not run any candidates in the 2022 elections.[citation needed]
| Year | Candidate | Office | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Gayle McLaughlin | Lieutenant governor | California | At-Large | 263,364 | 4.0% | Lost | ran asNo Party Preference (NPP) candidate; founder ofRichmond Progressive Alliance (RPA); endorsed byCNP,DSA,GPCA,OR,PFP, PP, and RPA | [37][38] |
There are also questions regarding the new People's Party itself, which has faced criticisms about its ineffective organizing and willingness to include right-wing populists in a big-tent effort to focus on common struggles.
Cornel West linked up with a political group known for anti-vaccine members and extreme right-wing associates[.] [....] Cooper also drew attention to the group's 'Rage Against The War Machine' event in Washington DC this past February. The event, co-sponsored with the Libertarian Party, billed itself as a 'rally against US funding for the Ukraine war,' and featured a host of fringe political figures including conservative media figure Jackson Hinkle and Helga Zepp-LaRouche, widow of — and torchbearer — for Lyndon LaRouche's 'cultlike' extremist right-wing movement.
The rally, which was moderated by Angela McArdle of the Libertarian Party and Nick Brana of the 'People's Party,' was sold as an opportunity by the organizers and the speakers to 'bring together' the 'left and the right' to oppose war. In fact, there was no left-wing perspective; the political direction was provided entirely by the right.
The People's Party maintains its progressive program, but it has taken some stands and suffered some internal conflicts that call its ideals into question. The PP recently made a move to the right... This is what is sometimes called a "red-brown" alliance, nominally leftist parties joining with rightist parties....
The latter, properly known as the Movement for a People's Party, originates from a failed petition for Bernie Sanders to break with the Democratic Party, and promises to build a major populist movement, neither left nor right, in the United States. ... Both the People's Party and CPI propose versions ofMAGA-with-Medicare.
The MPP has used Twitter to admit, several times, they do not want to be a left party, they want to conform to red-state voters, and they plan to use (unprincipled) populism to win elections.
He responded, 'The People's Party has had some issues with regard to leadership that are definitely antithetical to progressivism.' Aside from the scandal with Brana, Higgins called attention to the MPP's ties to the podcaster Jimmy Dore, who has a history of controversial views such as whitewashing the far-right Boogaloo Boys and promoting vaccine skepticism.
Also in 2023, the People's Party participated in the Independent Voter's Convention, in Austin, TX. There, the People's Party made important connections and participated in anti-war and independent voter panels. We connected with RFK Jr.'s campaign and the People's Party strongly encouraged Bobby to run as an independent, so that he would not be cut off at the Democratic Party primary. RFK Jr. demonstrated courage and confirmed the seriousness of his challenge to the duopoly when he in October announced he is running as an independent. We salute RFK Jr. for this decision as his candidacy outside of the duopoly allows him to run outside of the control of both major political parties. We also encourage RFK Jr. to make the formation of a new party a cornerstone of his campaign, since he will need support and base of a political party not only for ballot access but also to govern once in office.
Join us for LIVE Team Coverage from the Maverick News team of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s historic announcement from Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Nick Brana and Tyler Nixon will be reporting on the ground in Philly, and our anchor team of Rick Walker and Lori Spencer bring you commentary and analysis before and after Mr. Kennedy's speech.
