A campaign official for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s New York operation suggested that the independent candidate could help former President Donald Trump in his rematch with President Joe Biden. The official, Rita Palma, encouraged GOP voters to sign a petition to put Kennedy on the ballot in New York, arguing it would “get rid of Biden” and might even hand former President Trump a win. Palma suggested that the only way Trump could have a remote possibility of taking New York is if Kennedy was on the ballot, and that Kennedy might even win New York, which could also be helpful to Trump. However, Kennedy has consistently denied the idea that he would be a spoiler for either candidate.
Palma also raised the possibility of Kennedy winning New York, which could reduce Biden’s chances of reaching the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election, potentially leading to Congress picking the president with a Republican majority. The campaign clarified that Palma is not involved in electoral strategy, nationally or in New York, and that her remarks were made as a private citizen and do not reflect the strategy of the Kennedy campaign. However, the campaign’s website shows she has a “team Kennedy” email address. Palma also encouraged voters to help Trump win by knocking on doors in Pennsylvania.
The Kennedy campaign insists that RFK Jr.’s campaign is a spoiler for both Biden and Trump, but Palma told voters that the independent long shot is more of a spoiler for the Biden campaign. She pointed to the Democratic National Committee’s creation of a group dedicated to weakening third-party campaigns. Palma’s comments indicate differing motives among the campaign’s supporters, with some Democrats suggesting that some Trump allies may be backing Kennedy with the goal of helping the former president return to the White House. The incident marks the second time in a week that the campaign revealed divisions in its approach to mobilizing voters for the independent candidate.
Over the weekend, Kennedy issued three statements in an attempt to walk back earlier comments calling Jan. 6 protesters “activists” who “had no weapons” after a fundraising ad was released in error by the campaign. Kennedy apologized for his incorrect understanding that none of the January 6 rioters who invaded the Capitol were carrying firearms, acknowledging that several had been convicted of carrying firearms into the building and engaging in violent behavior. The campaign terminated its contract with the marketing contractor who put together the fundraising ad following the incident. Allison Novelo is a 2024 campaign reporter for CBS News.
