Kanye West has released a new presidential campaign video

Kanye West has released a new presidential campaign video
(Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Fast Company)Kanye West has released a new presidential campaign video
(Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Fast Company)
Kanye West has released a new presidential campaign video (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Fast Company)

Rapper Kanye West has released his first advertisement for the US presidential election with less than a month until polling day.

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The star took to Twitter to share the video, in which he discusses the importance of religion and family, and asks, “What is America’s destiny?”

Is Kanye West running for US President?

The rapper originally launched his bid for the US presidency in July and has struggled to get onto the ballot in many states, as he had missed the deadlines.

He has qualified to run in 10 states, after spending $6.8million on his presidential bid, according to official campaign finance reports.

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As a result of not being on the ballot in many states, and therefore having a very low chance of winning, the video ends with a message urging people to write West’s name on their ballot.

In what could well turn out to be a close-run election, similar to 2016, any high profile third party candidate could have an impact on the final result, regardless of their chances of winning, by taking away votes in key states from one of the main two candidates.

Mr West Tweeted an image last week showing a polling card with his name written in at the bottom, with the caption, “Friends writing me in.”

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It is assumed Mr West’s presidential run will take more votes away from the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, than from the Republican incumbent, Donald Trump.

According to his campaign website, Mr West’s platform includes pledges to “restore faith and revive our constitutional commitment to freedom of religion” and “reform the approach to policing in a manner that treats all Americans the same.”

What does he say in the video?

In the new video (which lasts for just over a minute and was shared with Mr West’s nearly 40 million Twitter followers) the rapper appears in front of a black and white American flag, with footage and images of families cut in, including his own.

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In the video, Mr West says, “America. What is America’s destiny? What is best for our nation? Our people? What is just? True justice? We have to think about all these things together as a people. To contemplate our future, to live up to our dream, we must have vision.

“We as a people will revive our nation’s commitment to faith, to what our constitution calls the free exercise of religion, including, of course, prayer. Through prayer, faith can be restored.”

“We as a people are called to a greater purpose than ourselves. We are not only a beacon to our world, but we should be servants to each other to encourage each other, to help each other, to lift up each other - our fellow Americans - that we may all prosper together.

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“We have to act on faith with a sure knowledge that we are pursuing the right goals and doing the right things. We will build a stronger country by building stronger families.

“Families are the building blocks of society, of a nation. By turning to faith, we will be the kind of nation - the kind of people - God intends us to be.”

A version of this article originally on our sister title, The Scotsman