Butch Ware, former Green Party vice-presidential candidate, has officially launched his campaign for Governor of California, aiming to build on the momentum of his 2024 run with Jill Stein. In a recent interview with LA Progressive, Ware outlined his vision for a third-party movement that directly challenges corporate control, systemic oppression, and the failures of the Democratic Party.
“The construction of a political party helps you contest power—not just voice, not just visibility, not just protest. Power is what is required to take our struggle to the next phase.”
A Radical Background in Organizing and Scholarship
Ware, a historian, activist, and professor, traces his political journey back to his teenage years, when he read The Autobiography of Malcolm X and converted to Islam. His research has focused on Islamic resistance movements in Africa and the Black radical tradition, shaping his approach to organizing.
His campaign builds on a diverse coalition, uniting progressives, radicals, leftists, Muslim Americans, and people of color. He sees his gubernatorial run as a way to move beyond protest politics and create lasting political infrastructure.
A Bold, Working-Class Platform
Ware’s campaign is focused on universal healthcare, affordable housing, economic justice, and ending corporate rule. He is especially critical of the California Democratic establishment, which has held power for years but failed to deliver on key progressive promises.
“The Democrats passed single-payer healthcare when Schwarzenegger was governor because they knew he would veto it. The second they had power, they refused to pass it because they’re bought and paid for.”
His platform includes
✅ A statewide Green New Deal to transition to renewable energy
✅ Single-payer healthcare to ensure healthcare as a right
✅ Affordable housing policies to address California’s housing crisis
✅ Opposition to corporate interests and war profiteering
✅ Ending mass incarceration and dismantling white supremacy
A Challenge to the Two-Party System
Ware believes that millions of voters, including independents and disillusioned Democrats, are ready for an alternative. He argues that both parties are controlled by corporate power and that progressives should stop waiting for the Democrats to change.
“Right now, the corporate duopoly—teams red and blue—have disenfranchised everyone.”
He also sees an opportunity to reach working-class voters across the political spectrum, including former Trump supporters who feel abandoned by both parties.
Building a Movement, Not Just a Campaign
Ware’s strategy goes beyond electoral politics, incorporating grassroots organizing, political education, and mutual aid. His campaign website offers a revolutionary learning community where participants study radical history and movement-building strategies.
He believes that California has the potential to set the stage for nationwide change, saying that if California can break from corporate rule, the rest of the country will follow.
“If we fix California, the rest of the dominoes will fall.”
Whether or not he wins, Ware’s campaign aims to lay the foundation for an independent political force—one that refuses to be controlled by the corporate duopoly and instead fights for real democracy and working-class power.
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