Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy expressed optimism Wednesday about appearing on the national ballot, but said his campaign would likely cost about $15 million.
Asked on NewsNation's “Dan Abrams Live” about the challenges of appearing on state ballots as an independent, Kennedy said, “We will be able to be on the ballot in 50 states and the District of Columbia.” Stated.
“It's going to be even more difficult for us. President Biden and President Trump can vote for free, and they can all get on the ballot automatically. It probably costs about $15 million to get on the ballot, and it probably costs about $15 million to get on the ballot. It's going to cost more than that, but we can do it,” Kennedy continued. .
Earlier Wednesday, Kennedy announced that he had met the 1,000 signature requirement in Utah and qualified for his first state ballot. Kennedy's press secretary, Stephanie Speer, said she expected Arizona to be next, the Associated Press reported.
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, author and anti-vaccine activist, criticizes various obstacles to voting access for candidates not running under a major political party.
“I think in the long run, that's probably going to be an advantage for us because…we have a better ground game advantage than anybody else when it comes to elections. Because it allows us to build military forces in all 50 states. Because we have no choice but to do so,” President Kennedy said Wednesday.
He said the team's time in Utah was “very, very limited,” but they were able to collect twice as many signatures as needed to get on the ballot.
“We had about a week's grace period and were able to get twice as many signatures as we needed when we had to convince people to enter public places and take off their gloves during a blizzard of snow and sleet. “Kennedy said.
American Values, a super PAC supporting Mr. Kennedy, has pledged to spend up to $15 million to help Mr. Kennedy gain access to the ballot in key states, according to the Associated Press.
Kennedy is the son of former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, who became famous for promoting anti-vaccine conspiracy theories during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kennedy, who was originally running for the Democratic presidential nomination, became an independent in October in hopes of improving his chances at the White House. He is a frequent critic of the Democratic National Committee and has expressed dissatisfaction with the committee's decision not to hold a debate with President Biden, who is widely expected to be his 2024 presidential nominee.
Opinion polls consistently point out that Biden and former President Trump maintain strong leads in their respective parties, and that the general election is likely to be a rematch of 2020.
The Hill/Decision Desk polling index shows the two political opponents are evenly matched, with Trump holding a 1.2 point lead over the incumbent.
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