How prisoners can run for president

The next steps in the legal fight over the 14th Amendment disqualifying Trump [VIEW IN BROWSER]( MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news [VIEW IN BROWSER]( MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news Monday, Sep. 04, 2023 THE LATEST [Alternate text] If Trump ends up running for president from prison, he won't be the first By Zeeshan Aleem There is a non-trivial chance that former President Donald Trump could be imprisoned before the election — and continue to run for the White House. It’s unprecedented for a former president to be mired in such a legal mess. But what’s less widely known is that there is a precedent for a prominent presidential candidate running for office while locked up in prison. A century ago, Socialist Party leader Eugene Debs ran for president from prison — and received nearly a million votes, about 3% of the national vote share. Debs’ campaign [relished]( his status as a prisoner; supporters at rallies held picket signs with his prison picture and proudly wore lapel buttons that said, “For President: Convict No. 9653.” In that respect, Debs’ campaign might appear to parallel Trump’s. The only time Trump has posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) since he was kicked off of the platform in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection has been to share a photo of his [defiant mug shot](. Polling indicates that Trump’s base is unfazed by his indictments — and perhaps even [more likely to rally on his behalf]( because of them. This is a preview of Zeeshan Aleem's latest article. [Read the full column here](.     TOP STORIES [Alternate text] [GERRY WEBER]( [The series of mistakes leading up to Judge Beryl Howell's Rudy Giuliani smackdown]( Defamation cases are hard to prove. Rudy Giuliani made it surprisingly easy. [Read more.]( [A photo of Gov. Brian Kemp]( [JA'HAN JONES]( [Brian Kemp just gave a master class in doublespeak]( Gorgia’s governor has helped fuel the right-wing crusade against prosecutors such as Fani Willis. Now he wants the crusaders to stand down. [Read more.]( [JULIE URBAN]( [The good, the bad and the very gross truth about this summer's worst pest]( I'm an insect expert. Here's the truth about the spotted lanternfly invasion. [Read more.]( [JORDAN RUBIN]( [The 19-defendant Trump case in Georgia could start to splinter]( Fulton County DA Fani Willis said she wants to try all 19 defendants together. That’s highly unlikely to happen. [Read more.]( TOP VIDEOS [Alternate text] [ALI VELSHI]( [Judge Luttig: Supreme Court will determine if Trump is eligible to run ‘sooner rather than later’]( [SYMONE]( [How Houston’s mayor is fighting back against Republicans’ power play to attack democracy]( [AMERICAN VOICES]( [Why Trump hasn’t asked to move the Georgia case to federal court]( [INSIDE WITH JEN PSAKI]( [Rep. Schiff: House Republicans willing to 'debase themselves in the service of Donald Trump'](     MORE FROM MSNBC [Alternate text]   Today, MSNBC Films presents a holiday marathon of documentaries, kicking off with all six episodes of “Leguizamo Does America” at 4pm Eastern, following up with an encore presentation of the series “When Truth Isn’t Truth: The Rudy Giuliani Story” at 10pm Eastern. Watch the MSNBC Films Labor Day marathon, today beginning at 4pm Eastern on MSNBC.   In the latest episode of “Prosecuting Donald Trump,” key hearings in Washington D.C. and Atlanta usher in the next phase of the criminal cases against the former president and his co-defendants. MSNBC legal analysts Andrew Weissmann and Mary McCord break down what happened inside those courtrooms and how the dual hearings may set the stage for what’s to come. [Listen now.]( MSNBC INSIGHTS [Alternate text] Have you ever wanted to provide MSNBC with your opinion about their TV programs, documentaries, and digital products, such as MSNBC.com, newsletters, and podcasts? Now is your chance! [Join the MSNBC Insights Community.](   [Image] [Image] 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 [PRIVACY]( | [CONTACT]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE](listvar=sub_daily) [PRIVACY]( | [CONTACT]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE](listvar=sub_daily)