Jill Stein to hold rally at Rutgers
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein will hold a rally at Rutgers on Sept. 17 to discuss her positions and answer questions from the public.
Stein, who was also the party's 2012 candidate for president, plans to discuss her campaign platform, the campaign said in a statement. The candidate will discuss her "Green New Deal," an energy initiative that will ensure the United States runs completely on renewable energy within the next 15 years.
“My Power to the People Plan offers direct answers to the economic, social, and ecological crises brought on by both corporate political parties, and it empowers the American people to fix our broken political system and make real the promise of democracy," Stein says in the statement.
Prior to this year's election, Stein held the record for the most votes received by a woman candidate for president, out of about 20 who ran for the position. She is currently on the ballot in 41 states, with the remainder pending.
The rally will occur in the College Avenue Student Center next Saturday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the event itself will begin at 6:15 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. After Stein's remarks conclude, guests will have the opportunity to pose questions.
In the statement, Stein calls Rutgers a "place in the revolutionary history of our nation," and thus an ideal location for the rally. She intends to explain her progressive message to the Rutgers community.
"I'm looking forward to sharing with the Rutgers community my solutions for how we can avert climate catastrophe, build a sustainable and just economy and recognize the dignity and human rights of everyone in our society and our world," Stein says.
The presidential hopeful is trailing behind in the race, according to a recent CNN/ORC poll. She stands at 2 percent among likely voters, while her major third-party Libertarian counterpart, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, is capturing 7 percent of likely voters. Both need to poll at 15 percent in order to be eligible to speak at the first presidential debate on Sept. 26.
The All Marxist-Leninist Union is is the primary sponsor of Stein's visit, said Stein's New Jersey State Coordinator Richard Harris. RU Progressive and Young Greens were also involved with organizing the event.
Editor's note: This story was updated on Sept. 10. to include the Rutgers groups involved with the event.
Nikhilesh De is the news editor of The Daily Targum. He is a School of Engineering senior. Follow him on Twitter @nikhileshde for more.
