A Michigan judge ruled that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. must remain on the November presidential ballot, dealing a blow to his crusade to strategically remove his ticket from the battleground state. Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump in August. Since then, he has sought to withdraw his name in states — like Michigan — where the race could be close. At the same time, he is trying to remain on the ballot in states where he is unlikely to make a difference between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Quick Read
- A Michigan judge ruled that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. must remain on the November presidential ballot, despite his efforts to withdraw from the battleground state after endorsing Donald Trump.
- Kennedy’s lawsuit to remove his name from the Michigan ballot was rejected by the Court of Claims, with the judge stating that the Secretary of State is not obligated to follow candidates’ whims.
- Kennedy has been attempting to strategically remove his name from ballots in states where the race could be close, while staying on in states where his impact is expected to be minimal.
- Michigan law prevents candidates nominated by a minor party from withdrawing after accepting the nomination, which was a key factor in the judge’s decision.
- Similar efforts by Kennedy to withdraw his name have also been rejected in states like Wisconsin, reflecting ongoing legal and political battles surrounding third-party candidates in the 2024 election.
The Associated Press has the story:
Kennedy Jr. must remain on the Michigan ballot, judge says
Newslooks- LANSING, Mich. (AP) —
A Michigan judge ruled that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. must remain on the November presidential ballot, dealing a blow to his crusade to strategically remove his ticket from the battleground state. Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump in August. Since then, he has sought to withdraw his name in states — like Michigan — where the race could be close. At the same time, he is trying to remain on the ballot in states where he is unlikely to make a difference between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kennedy filed a lawsuit Friday in Michigan’s Court of Claims against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in an effort to withdraw his name. Michigan’s election officials had previously rejected Kennedy’s notice of withdrawal. The Associated Press asked the secretary’s office for comment on the Court of Claims order that came down Tuesday.
In a post on X earlier in the day, Benson said under Michigan law, candidates who are nominated and accept a minor party’s nomination “shall not be permitted to withdraw.” Kennedy argued in the lawsuit that his notice of withdrawal was timely and the electorate’s votes could be “diminished and rendered invalid” if he remains on the ballot. He filed a similar lawsuit in North Carolina on Friday, where he is trying to withdraw his name from the ballot.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Christopher P. Yates concluded that the secretary of state rightly rejected Kennedy’s request to be removed from the ballot. “Elections are not just games, and the Secretary of State (SOS) is not obligated to honor the whims of candidates for public office,” Yates said in his opinion and order.
The Associated Press requested a comment from Kennedy’s attorneys Tuesday. Wisconsin election officials said last week that Kennedy must remain on the ballot there, rejecting his request request to withdraw. Last week, a different Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that liberal independent candidate for president Cornel West must remain on the ballot, an opinion welcomed by West’s campaign.
Kennedy and West, prominent third-party candidates, are at the center of multiple legal and political battles across the country as Democrats and Republicans seek to use the impacts of third-party candidates who could take support from their opponents. Republicans allies in multiple battleground states such as Arizona and Michigan have sought to keep West on the ballot amid Democratic fears he could siphon votes from Vice President Kamala Harris.
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