Michigan denied former 2024 independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s request for his name to be removed from the state’s ballot despite the suspension of his campaign.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s senior press secretary, Cheri Hardmon, said Tuesday that Kennedy, who is on the state’s ballot as the presidential nominee for the Natural Law Party, could not withdraw from the election.
Hardmon said Kennedy’s status as a minor party candidate and the fact that Kennedy’s party could not select new electors were the reasons he must remain on the ballot.
“Minor party candidates cannot withdraw, so his name will remain on the ballot in the November election. Michigan Election Law requires presidential electors be selected at the fall state convention. The fall state convention must be held no later than the date of the primary. The Natural Law Party held their convention to select electors for Robert Kennedy Jr. They cannot meet at this point to select new electors since it’s past the primary,” Hardmon told the Daily Caller.
Kennedy suspended his campaign Friday and endorsed 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who he joined at a rally in Glendale, Arizona.
Kennedy said in his announcement that he would remove his name from the ballot in battleground states to avoid helping Vice President Kamala Harris defeat Trump. (RELATED: ‘You Can Make Fun Of Them’: CNN Panelist Identifies Voting Bloc He Says Will Win Trump The White House)
#BREAKING 🔊🔊🔊
Robert Kennedy Jr. officially endorsed Trump for President.
Kennedy’s name will not be on the ballot in the swing states.
“ Democrats Have Dismantled Democracy” – RFK, Jr 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/8dELWAUSjy— Dr. Debbie Booth (@DrDebbieBooth) August 23, 2024
“Our polling consistently showed by staying on the ballot in the battleground states, I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats with whom I disagree on the most existential issues,” Kennedy said.
Harris currently leads Trump by 2% in Michigan, according to polling data from the RealClearPolitics average. President Joe Biden took Michigan by 2.8% in 2020, flipping the state Trump won in 2016.
Trump added Kennedy to his presidential transition team Tuesday, CNN reported.
Trump also added former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed him Monday, to his presidential transition team, according to CNN. Kennedy revealed Sunday in a social media post that Trump plans to announce a series of other Democrats joining his campaign.