What are the implications of Kanye West running for President?

Kanye West is simply promoting his new album, 'God's Country'

Question: What are the implications of Kanye West running for President?
Position‹3 of 3: There are no implications to Kanye West running for president
Argument1 of 2›: Kanye West is simply promoting his new album, 'God's Country'

Kanye Wests's presidential bid is a PR stunt designed to promote Kanye West's new album, "God's Country". Predictably his presidential bid attracted a lot of media attention, which will be used to sell more record copies.

The argument

As Forbes Entertainment Editor Brian Rolli writes of Kanye's Presidential bid, "There are two types of people in this world: those who believe Kanye West is actually running for president, and those who know how album promotional cycles work." West has taken none of the steps necessary to register as a Presidential candidate. Instead, his energies have been focused on his soon-to-be-released album. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that this is anything other than a promotional stunt in the lead up to the album coming out.

Context

In March 2020, Kanye recorded his tenth studio album "God's Country". Many see his Tweet announcement as a bid to shift the world's attention back to him and his music before its release.

Premises

[P1]Kanye West has taken none of the formal steps required to register as a presidential candidate. [P2] His efforts during this period were directed at promoting his forthcoming album rather than at a campaign. [P3] There is no evidence that the announcement is anything other than a promotional stunt timed to the album's release. [C] Therefore, Kanye West's 'run' is merely album promotion, so there are no real implications to it.

Counter-arguments

The opposing view holds that there were real implications regardless of West's sincerity. He did file a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission and qualified for the ballot in several states, ultimately drawing tens of thousands of votes — and a celebrity candidacy that appears on ballots can act as a spoiler in a close race and normalise unserious runs. Promotion and an actual longshot campaign are not mutually exclusive; a run can be both, and even a 'stunt' has consequences when it siphons votes and shapes political discourse.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] West did file a Statement of Candidacy with the FEC and qualified for several state ballots, so the claim that he took 'none of the formal steps' is inaccurate. [Rejecting P2] Promoting an album and mounting a real, if longshot, candidacy are not mutually exclusive — he did both. [Rejecting P3] A candidacy that reaches ballots and draws votes carries implications — potential spoiler effects and the normalising of celebrity runs — whether or not it is sincere. [Rejecting C] Even if partly promotional, the run had real electoral and political implications, contrary to 'no implications.'