John Beauchemin 2024 presidential campaign

John Beauchemin, an entrepreneur, former media industry executive and sociopolitical activist, announced his candidacy in the on May 1, 2023. He graduated from with an MBA. Beauchemin founded Songbird Holdings, a independent record label holding company, and turned it into a multi-million dollar business before selling it to Everest Music Group for US$20.2 million in 1996. He was then president of RKO Media from 1999 to 2010. He is challenging incumbent for the  nomination, and has expressed interest in continuing to run as an independent if he does not win the nomination.

Beauchemin has centered his campaign appeal on being a "logic-first" centrist candidate with broad appeal to both Democrats and Republicans. His platform mixes libertarian and socialist ideals. He is critical of modern American politics, blaming the divide between "red and blue states" on the idea of "might makes right" ideals spread by both parties, saying in his campaign announcement that "the left is trying a social media-centric version of democratic socialism, and the right is trying iron-fisted ultraconservatism, and neither is working for the average American." He has promised to institute universal basic income if elected, provide extensive reparations for past misjudgements of the country (especially towards African-Americans and Native Americans), and has also promised to nationalize the private healthcare industry and replace it with a national public healthcare system rooted in the ideals of the proposed Medicare for All Act.

Speculation and launch
Throughout February 2023, Beauchemin made multiple statements that he was considering a run for president in 2024. In April, it was reported that Beauchemin had been filming commercials and talking with "experts" in regards to campaigning.

On April 22, 2023, Beauchemin filed his candidacy. On May 1, 2023, Beauchemin officially announced his presidential campaign during an interview on the RKO News Network program Alexander Tonight. He launched his campaign website on May 3 and held his first campaign rally later that day at in Baton Rouge.

Abortion rights
Beauchemin has stated he is in favor of "a woman's right to choose."

Environment
Beauchemin has stated that he would institute policies and laws similar to the ones proposed in the if elected.

Beauchemin has supported expansion, referring to it as "a necessary evil, for now, in combating climate change" and "a reliable source of carbon-free energy production." During a campaign rally in, he announced that, if elected, he would form a program of the that would find ways to "make nuclear power safer and greener."

Free speech and the media
Beauchemin has pledged to criminalize the use of paywalls on journalism websites, which he has referred to as "trojan greed", if elected, and would reimburse former subscribers to paid journalism content with "severance loans", a proposal he calls "News for All".

Beauchemin has pledged to "reform" the 's political advertising rules, including banning "un-fact checked claims" in campaign ads and repealing a rule ordering all over-the-air TV stations with FCC-issued licenses to air campaign ads regardless of content.

Healthcare
Beauchemin has stated that, if elected, he would enact Medicare for All in part by nationalizing the private healthcare industry in the United States and replacing it with a no-cost, "Medicare and Medicaid-based" public healthcare system funded by taxpayers' money.

Law
Beauchemin has proposed making jury duty voluntary instead of mandatory.

LGBTQIA2S+ issues
Beauchemin has stated that he supports the LGBTQIA2S+ community and that, if elected, he will "protect the community from hateful legislation at all costs".

On transgender rights, Beauchemin said that he would enact legislation that would protect transgender youth.

Universal basic income
Beauchemin has pledged to enact legislation that would institute universal basic income if elected.