Kanye West For President? Trump & Biden Odds React To Rival

Kanye West has announced he has joined the 2020 US Presidential Election battle – and has already caused movement in Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s odds to win the November poll.

The musician, 43, tweeted on Sunday that he was ready to run for office, despite the heavy odds stacked against him.

“We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States,” he wrote.

West immediately gained the backing of his wife Kim Kardashian, while billionaire businessman Elon Must hinted at his financial endorsement, tweeting: “You have my full support!”

And while it may seem like something of a publicity stunt for the music star, his presence in the US 2020 election race could impact on the two frontrunners.

Kanye POTUS Odds Tumble

Amazingly, West appears to have already gained enough backing for political betting to shift their election odds, in anticipation of things to come.

Many bookies priced West for president at 500/1 back in February. But his announcement has seen those odds crash to a new price of just 40/1 with BetVictor.

Perhaps the shock of Trump – who surprised bookies, pollsters and pundits alike in 2016 when he beat Hilary Clinton to the White House – offers hope to punters that a heavy outsider can win the US election this year too.

Trump and Biden Odds Shift

To what extent West’s emergence into the US election race affects Trump and Biden remains to be seen. However, both politicians saw their odds react sharply to the news of West’s running.

Biden – the favourite for the White House – saw his odds swiftly widen from 4/7 to 3/4, indicating that West could cut into his vote share.

Trump, meanwhile, witnessed a positive leap forward, as his odds narrowed from 7/4 to 5/4 with 888.

Why Trump’s Odds Improved

It may seem surprising that West – who has previously supported Trump – would improve, rather than negate, the chances of the current president securing a second term.

After all, he could be considered an alternative candidate to the Republican nominee - and split Trump’s vote.

However, with West – who once proclaimed himself the ‘greatest human artist of all time’ – at this stage still seen as somewhat of a novelty runner in the race for the White House, his positioning may instead simply amplify the policies Trump is championing.

And this could well hurt Biden if the American public decide they like what they hear from the rapper, and in turn vote for a candidate who has more chance of becoming president (i.e. Trump).

Whether Trump and Biden’s odds significantly change as West begins to express his own political views remains to be seen. However, at this stage the musician’s presence acts as more of an uncertain hindrance to both Trump and Biden, rather than a direct rival.