Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing challenges in his presidential campaign, particularly in qualifying for the debates against Joe Biden and Donald Trump. He needs to secure a place on the ballot in at least a dozen more states and improve his showing in national polls within one month to qualify. Despite the hurdles, Kennedy has expressed confidence in his ability to make the debate stage. The criteria set by CNN for inviting candidates include being on the ballot in states with at least 270 electoral votes and hitting 15% in four polls since March 13.
In addition to the polling criteria, Kennedy faces a tough ballot access hurdle. He has been confirmed on the ballot in states like Delaware, Oklahoma, and Utah, but the total electoral votes from these states are just 16. In states like California, Hawaii, and Michigan, minor parties have selected Kennedy as their nominee, potentially increasing his total to 89 electoral votes. The campaign claims to have collected enough signatures in states like Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, and others which could add up to 201 electoral votes, but the signatures have not been submitted or affirmed by state officials yet.
Navigating through the laws and requirements of different states, Kennedy’s campaign has resorted to secrecy and creative tactics to secure a place on the ballot. In some states, he has allied with existing parties or formed his own political party to receive nominations. Kennedy may need to change his strategy and submit the petitions sooner to have a chance at getting on the debate stage next month. His vice presidential nominee, Nicole Shanahan, has committed $8 million from her personal fortune for ballot access, and the campaign announced that their $15 million effort is fully funded.
With Kennedy’s famous name and loyal base, he has the potential to do better than any third-party presidential candidate since the 1990s. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns fear that Kennedy could play spoiler in the election, hence bypassing the nonpartisan debate commission and agreeing to a schedule that leaves him little time to qualify for the first debate. Kennedy’s team is working strategically to meet the criteria set by CNN and secure a spot on the debate stage in Atlanta on June 27. The campaign is facing challenges in various states with differing laws and requirements for ballot access, and Kennedy will need to navigate these hurdles effectively to have a chance in the upcoming election.
