MILWAUKEE, Wisc., (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- Some of Milwaukee's top Black leaders are speaking out about what they believe is an exploitation of Black voters by the GOP.

On Thursday, Milwaukee County executive David Crowley, Milwaukee County board chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and Milwaukee Common Council president Cavalier Johnson held a news conference to denounce the GOP for what they say is a cynical ploy to place Kanye West - a candidate with no chance of winning - on the ballot in Wisconsin.​​

​"The reason that offices like this the GOP office are trying to put Kanye West on the ballot in places like Wisconsin is because we are a critical swing state ion 2016 Wisconsin decided the presidential election and it's likely to do the same in 2020. That's a tactic that's an issue because without Wisconsin Donald Trump does not win the White House," says Cavalier Johnson. 

Johnson says the GOP's ploy to put Kanye West on the ballot is a tactic to distract African Americans and others to vote for him as a way of pulling votes away from the Democratic candidate.