(News Nation) — After suspending his campaign, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been trying to get his name off the ballot in states where his candidacy could favor Democratic nominee Vice President Harris.
Kennedy, who dropped his independent bid for the White House more than two weeks ago and shortly thereafter endorsed Republican candidate former President Trump, has cited free speech, the war in Ukraine and the “war on children” as reasons for insisting on removing himself from the ballot in battleground states.
“These are the primary reasons that prompted me to leave the Democratic Party, run as an independent, and now support President Trump,” Kennedy said at the event in Phoenix.
Polls have shown that Kennedy was drawing support away from Trump even before he dropped out of the race, raising the possibility that his presence in certain states could influence the election outcome, even in those where he has dropped out.
“If a candidate is on the ballot, somebody is bound to vote for them,” said Christopher Thrasher, a voting access consultant who analyzes third-party campaigns. Associated Press“Both sides performed similarly in this year's primary elections. At this point, no one knows how many votes will be received.”
But unlike Harris and Trump, Kennedy gave up the right to vote, which he would have had to win by collecting signatures or minority party support in each state.
he, North CarolinaArizona, Georgia, etc., but similarly suffered a loss Michigan, New York, Wisconsin. There are plenty more voting rights battles to follow, so here's where he stands.
He is currently on the ballot in almost half the country.
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
He is not running in 15 other states.
- Arizona
- Florida
- Georgia
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- new york
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wyoming
His voting status has yet to be confirmed in the remaining 13 states and Washington, D.C.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Missouri
- Montana
- New Jersey
- North Dakota
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Washington DC
Kennedy's campaign has reportedly not yet gathered enough signatures to get his case on the ballot in Mississippi. Mississippi Today and CBS.
He filed paperwork on Sept. 6 to appear on the Nov. 5 ballot while continuing to work to withdraw from other states. Mississippi has until Sept. 11 to release sample ballots.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
