There are some obvious positives if West's campaign is publicized enough to pull more people and the general conversation here to the left. I'm not convinced that Lenin quote fully applies to him though. Lenin was talking about the Bolsheviks gaining more visibility through participating in electoral campaigns. Neither the People's Party or Green Party are revolutionary parties. They are vaguely reformist and the danger is that they take disillusioned progressives and funnel all of their energy into doomed electoral/fundraising efforts rather than actual revolutionary work. It also has the chance of pulling people to the left but also leaving them more cynical when it eventually doesn't work out. And if West by some snowball's miracle in hell does win, he will either betray his promises or be so hamstrung by the state that he will ultimately be ineffective at executing any significant change. Whether people become more radicalized or reactionary from there is a question. Anything could happen.

There are revolutionary socialist parties in the US that are becoming more and more popular every year. They run electoral campaigns while also introducing their members and volunteers to the mass line work that is actually required for building real political power. I think Lenin's quote on electoralism applies to them moreso. I'd much rather throw my vote towards the PSL nominee for that same end.

My issue is with the tired liberal tactic of framing left critique of electoral candidates as some "purity test." It's disappointing that a self-described communist would even use that term to corral us into allying with bonafide reactionaries and neo-confederates.