Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is polling higher than any third-party presidential candidate since Ross Perot in 1992, is running out of time to qualify for the first official debate on June 27th.
As reported by Axios, CNN released a statement saying that although it is “not impossible” that Kennedy may qualify at the last minute, it is increasingly unlikely that he will join the stage alongside former President Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
CNN’s debate qualifications require a candidate to poll at 15% or higher in four national polls, and to have ballot access in enough states that the candidate could potentially get 270 electoral votes, the minimum needed to win the election in November.
Although Kennedy has qualified in three polls thus far, CNN claims that he is eligible for just 89 electoral votes; Kennedy’s campaign claims that he has gained enough signatures for ballot access to 292 electoral votes. However, some states take longer to verify such petitions, and thus may not confirm his ballot status until after the debate. Kennedy has claimed that the strict rules are the result of the Trump and Biden campaigns “colluding” to keep him out of the debates.
Only two third-party candidates, Libertarian Party nominee Chase Oliver and presumptive Green Party nominee Jill Stein, have crossed the electoral vote threshold for the debates. However, neither of them have polled anywhere close to 15% in any national poll.
CNN has revealed other rules that will be enforced for the debate itself, including a 90-minute runtime, just two commercial breaks, and campaign staffers being forbidden from interacting with their candidates during the breaks. CNN also claimed that, whenever one candidate is speaking, the other candidate’s microphone will be muted to prevent interruptions.
The moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” CNN said in a statement. The debate will be held in Atlanta, Georgia.
The second confirmed debate between Trump and Biden will take place on September 10th, and will be hosted by ABC.