Presumptive Green Party nominee Jill Stein announced on Monday evening her vice presidential running mate for the 2016 election: human rights “champion” Ajamu Baraka.
“I am honored and excited to announce that my running mate in the 2016 presidential election will be Ajamu Baraka, activist, writer, intellectual and organizer with a powerful voice, vision, and lifelong commitment to building true political revolution,” Stein said in a statement.
“Honored to announce human rights champion Ajamu Baraka as my VP running mate!”, Stein added in a tweet.
Honored to announce human rights champion Ajamu Baraka as my VP running mate! #SteinBaraka https://t.co/b0mo6QYoio pic.twitter.com/IsoCy8phqD
— Dr. Jill Stein? (@DrJillStein) August 2, 2016
Baraka was the founding executive director of the U.S. Human Rights Network from 2004 to 2011 and served on boards of various international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International. He received the “Abolitionist of the Year” award in 2001 from the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. On his personal website he says he is a “veteran grassroots organizer whose roots are in the Black Liberation Movement and anti-apartheid and Central American solidarity struggles.”
Stein also commented on reports that she had vetted former Ohio state senator and prominent Bernie Sanders supporter Nina Turner as another potential running mate, just hours after a report was published in which Turner said she turned down an offer.
“In the process of vetting and selecting a VP, I was honored to talk with several inspired activists,” Stein said. “Among them, I especially appreciate Senator Turner’s willingness to have discussed the VP position.”
“The fit just wasn’t right, as Senator Turner is still committed to try to save the soul of the Democratic Party,” Stein added. “While we may not agree on whether that is possible, I respect her passion to fight for the people and wish her the best in her effort.”
Stein said she also conducted interviews with single-payer healthcare activist Chris Hedges, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate Margaret Flowers (Md.), economic justice advocate and Trans-Pacific Partnership opponent Kevin Zeese of PopularResistance.org and Green Party activist and former Black Panther Party leader Aaron Dixon.
Stein is expected to be nominated as the Green Party’s presidential candidate at the party’s national convention in Houston on Saturday.
In a four-way race for the White House, Stein trails all the other candidates in a RealClearPolitics average of polls with 3.2 percent support, behind Democrat Hillary Clinton (41.4 percent), Republican Donald Trump (38.8 percent) and Libertarian Gary Johnson (7 percent). The Green Party has qualified to appear on the ballot in 21 states, according to Ballotopedia.
