Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign submitted signatures Monday to the Texas Secretary of State’s office to have his name listed as a presidential candidate on the November general election ballot—as his campaign deploys an aggressive and laborious strategy to secure his place on ballots in all 50 states.
Robert Kennedy Jr. campaigns for President of the United States at a rally on April 28, 2024 in ... [+]
Kennedy Jr.’s campaign submitted to Texas election officials 245,572 signatures, more than twice as many as required, to secure ballot access for him and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, his campaign said Monday.
Kennedy Jr. and Shanahan will also appear on the ballot in Utah, Michigan, California, Delaware and Oklahoma, his campaign said, adding that it’s collected enough signatures to also appear on the ballots in New Hampshire, Nevada, Hawaii, North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska, Iowa and Ohio.
Without the backing of an official political party, Kennedy Jr. is required to petition for ballot access in most states, though he’s attempted a workaround in several states by soliciting nominations from lesser-known political parties, including the Natural Law Party of Michigan and the American Independent Party in California.
Kennedy Jr.’s campaign has also filed lawsuits challenging ballot access rules in several states, including Utah and Maine, and his campaign has admittedly delayed filing petitions until the last minute to avoid challenges from the Democratic Party, his campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear told the New York Times.
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The DNC filed a complaint against Kennedy Jr. with the Federal Election Commission in February, alleging it illegally coordinated with the American Values 2024 PAC backing his candidacy to secure ballot access.
Kennedy Jr. initially launched his presidential bid as a Democrat, but later switched to run as an independent, allowing him to continue his bid if he lost the primary election to President Joe Biden. Polls are split on whether Kennedy Jr., a scion of the country’s most famous Democratic family but whose criticism of Covid-19 protocols appeal to Republicans, would draw more votes from Biden or Trump. While Kennedy Jr. is currently polling at about 10% in a five-way matchup that also includes independent candidate Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, along with former President Donald Trump and Biden, according to a Monday New York Times/Siena/Philadelphia Inquirer poll, his candidacy could sway the outcome of the race (especially in battleground states), as Trump and Biden are polling within single-digits of each other.
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