RFK Jr. standing down ‘could be deciding factor’ in election – but Trump must give him cabinet position to get his votes
ROBERT F. Kennedy Jr. suspending his campaign could ultimately benefit Donald Trump in the race against Kamala Harris, a political expert has told The U.S. Sun.
Kennedy Jr. announced his campaign suspension during a campaign rally in Phoenix on Friday but emphasized that he was not ending his presidential fight and that his name would still appear on the ballots in some states in November.
In his speech, Kennedy Jr. blasted Democrats, saying the party had diverged far from the “core values” he grew up watching when his uncle, John F. Kennedy, and father, Robert F. Kennedy, were leading the charge.
“I attended my first Democratic Convention when I was six in 1960,” Kennedy Jr. said.
“Back then, the Democrats were the champions of the constitution, of civil rights. The Democrats stood against authoritarianism, against censorship, against colonialism, imperialism, and unjust wars.
“We were the party of labor, of the working class. The Democrats were the party of government transparency.
“As you know, I left that party in October because it had departed so dramatically from the core values that I grew up with.”
Kennedy Jr. claimed Democrats engaged in a “continued legal warfare” to prevent him from gaining access to the ballots in all 50 states.
After launching his presidential campaign in April 2023, Kennedy Jr. abandoned his Democratic primary bid in October 2023 and chose to run as an independent candidate.
Unlike Republican and Democratic contenders, and depending on state regulations, independent candidates must collect thousands of signatures or be supported by a minor party to apply for ballot access.
TRUMP ALLIANCE
On Friday, Kennedy Jr. endorsed Trump, saying he and the Republican presidential candidate agreed on certain key issues engulfing the country.
“In a series of long and intense discussions, I was surprised to discover that we were aligned on many key issues,” Kennedy Jr. said.
“In those meetings, [Trump] suggested we join forces as a unity party. We talked about Abraham Lincoln’s team of rivals.
“That arrangement would allow us to disagree publicly and privately, and fiercely if need be on issues over which we differ.”
Kennedy Jr. said joining the Trump ticket was a “difficult sacrifice” but worthwhile if the former president is elected and “honors” his word.
We were the party of labor, of the working class. The Democrats were the party of government transparency.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump, who was speaking from Las Vegas during Kennedy Jr.’s media address, thanked the independent candidate for his endorsement.
“We just had a very nice endorsement from RFK Jr. I want to thank Bobby, that was very nice,” Trump said.
Kennedy Jr. has been polling at an average of five percent, according to Real Clear Polling.
He’s polling between four and six percent in battleground five-way contests that also included Green Party candidate Jill Stein and left-wing academic Cornel West.
What states will still have RFK Jr. on the ballot?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he would be suspending his presidential campaign on August 23, 2024.
- Kennedy announced that he would withdraw from the ballot in 10 swing states – including Pennsylvania and Arizona – to avoid tilting the election toward either Harris or Trump.
- “My name will remain on the ballot in most states. If you live in a blue state, you can vote for me without harming or helping President Trump or Vice President Harris, and red states, the same will apply. I encourage you to vote for me,” he added.
What state ballots will Kennedy Jr. appear on?
During his announcement on August 23, 2024, Kennedy Jr. did not specify what states he will pull out from.
- Despite suspending his campaign, Kennedy Jr. was previously granted ballot access in 24 states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.
Political expert David Richards of the University of Lynchburg in Virginia has analyzed what Kennedy Jr.’s withdrawal from the race could mean for November’s election.
He warned Trump that Kennedy Jr.’s support doesn’t come for free.
“I think Trump will pick up a fair number of those voters,” he said.
“Even in those states where Harris is ahead by a couple of points, if RFK Jr. was going to deliver even just two or three percent of the vote, that might be enough to swing.
“Will that be enough for Trump? It really could be, and that could be a deciding factor in the race.”
TRUMP CABINET ROLE?
Richards explained that Trump would have to offer Kennedy Jr. a cabinet position to ensure the former independent candidate’s supporters backed the Republican.
Kennedy Jr. also reached out to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign in hopes of arranging a meeting where the two could discuss a possible role in her administration if he were to endorse her, a Kennedy campaign official told CNN.
However, Harris and her campaign did not respond to Kennedy Jr.’s offer.
The independent candidate reportedly even tried going through Ron Klain, the former White House chief of staff for President Joe Biden, but his efforts got him nowhere.
“No one has any intention of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who has sought out a job with Donald Trump in exchange for an endorsement,” DNC spokesperson Matt Corridoni said in a statement on Wednesday.
But Trump has not ruled out the possibility of offering Kennedy Jr. a role in a future administration.
Suspending a Campaign vs Withdrawing
The main legal differences:
Delegates:
- Suspending: Candidates usually keep delegates they’ve won.
- Withdrawing: Candidates often have to forfeit their delegates.
Fundraising:
- Suspending: Candidates can continue raising money, especially to pay off campaign debts.
- Withdrawing: Fundraising options are more limited.
Federal Matching Funds:
- Suspending: Candidates may remain eligible for federal matching funds to help settle debts.
- Withdrawing: Candidates might lose eligibility for these funds.
Potential Comeback:
- Suspending: Leaves the door open for a potential return if political conditions change.
- Withdrawing: Ends the campaign definitively.
Election Law:
- Suspending: The campaign isn’t considered officially over until all debts are settled.
- Withdrawing: Candidates must follow formal procedures, including potential withdrawal deadlines.
Ballot Appearance:
- Suspending: Candidates can still appear on the ballot in most states, and votes for them will count.
- Withdrawing: Candidates are generally removed from the ballot, depending on the timing and election laws.
Richards speculated that Trump could offer Kennedy Jr. a position as a healthcare adviser.
“That kind of fits into RFK’s lane,” Richards added.
Kennedy Jr. has consistently peddled wild conspiracy theories and has criticized Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
David Richards explained that any job role would have to be a prominent position as it would be easy for Trump to ignore Kennedy.
“He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time,” Trump said of Kennedy Jr. on CNN earlier this month.
JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, said he would welcome Kennedy Jr. endorsing the GOP ticket.
However, Kennedy has been rather tight-lipped on the suggestion.
Richards warned that Trump is not guaranteed to win over Kennedy Jr.’s loyal supporters in a two-way straight fight against Harris.
The expert revealed that Kennedy Jr. was appealing to voters who had become disenfranchised.
FINE MARGINS
“RFK offered an alternative, an opportunity for people to present different ideas – policywise especially.
“That’s why I have a little bit of hesitation to say Trump will pick up all of RFK’s voters because a lot of those people were fed up with the system as it is and the status quo.
“Now the status quo has been restored – that doesn’t necessarily mean they are happy or satisfied.”
Richards also warned that RFK exiting the race would only have the greatest impact if only a few percentage points separate Harris and Trump.
He doesn’t expect Harris to add many points to her national lead.
He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time.
Donald Trump
Harris currently has a national polling lead of around 1.5 percentage points, according to Real Clear Politics.
Both Trump and Harris have a 49.2% chance of winning the election, according to the firm.
One month ago, Trump’s odds were more than 65% when Joe Biden dramatically exited the presidential race.
His running mate Nicole Shanahan talked about the prospect of potentially rallying behind Trump and joining forces with his campaign during a podcast appearance earlier this week.
“There’s two options that we’re looking at,” Shanahan admitted.
“One is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and [Tim] Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump or we draw somehow more votes from Trump.
Who is RFK Jr.'s family?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a well-known member of the famed Kennedy family.
He is the son of the late former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and human rights advocate Ethel Kennedy.
He is also the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on November 22, 1963, while in office.
RFK Jr. has been married to actress and comedian Cheryl Hines since 2014.
He was previously married to Mary Richardson Kennedy from 1994 to 2012 and Emily Ruth Black from 1982 to 1994.
The politician has six kids, including Robert Francis “Bobby” Kennedy III, Kathleen Alexandra “Kick” Kennedy, Conor Richardson Kennedy, Kyra LeMoyne Kennedy, William Finbar “Finn” Kennedy, and Aidan Caohman Vieques Kennedy.
“Or, we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump.”
Kennedy Jr. refused to confirm or deny those reports when quizzed.
And, Trump admitted he’s in the dark over whether Kennedy Jr. would endorse him.
Shanahan also ripped Harris’ economic platform, fueling further speculation that Kennedy Jr.’s campaign could back Trump.
In an X post, she claimed ideas around price caps were “flawed.”
Kennedy Jr.’s exit from the presidential race comes just hours after Harris was formally crowned the Democrat’s presidential nominee.
Kennedy Jr. challenged Biden for the Democratic nomination in spring 2023.
But, in October, he pivoted to run as an independent.
And the campaign has not been without its share of controversy.
He falsely made a series of claims as he tried to link vaccines to health conditions.
A CAMPAIGN FULL OF CONTROVERSY
Kennedy Jr. also peddled conspiracy theories that the CIA killed his uncle John. F. Kennedy.
Last month, Vanity Fair published a story that featured a picture of him poised to eat an animal carcass.
A vet cited in the story said the carcass looked like that of a dog.
Kennedy clapped back and said it was a goat.
“There’s two things I wouldn’t eat — well, three. I wouldn’t eat a human, I wouldn’t eat a monkey, and I wouldn’t eat a dog,” he told Chris Cuomo as reported by the New York Post.
Kennedy Jr. also made a bizarre admission that he dumped a dead bear cub in 2014.
No one has any intention of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who has sought out a job with Donald Trump in exchange for an endorsement.
Matt Corridoni
And a former babysitter accused the politician of sexual assault.
The alleged sexual assault happened in the 1990s, and Kennedy apologized by sending a text to the woman.
Kennedy Jr. revealed that he’s not a “church boy” in an interview after the allegations were reported in Vanity Fair.
Kennedy Jr. has since withdrawn his name from the ballot in Arizona.
Arizona is one of the crucial battlegrounds Trump is trying to win.
He carried the state in 2016 but lost it to Joe Biden in 2020.
Average polls suggest Trump is leading in the state by just 0.2 percentage points.
Biden only carried the state by 0.3 percentage points four years ago.
Kennedy remains on the ballot in both Michigan and North Carolina.
And his campaign claimed that he had enough signatures to be on ballots in dozens of states.
Last week, a New York judge disqualified Kennedy Jr. from appearing on the state’s election ballot.
He launched an appeal against the verdict.
A motion has since been launched to try and get Kennedy Jr. off the ballot in Georgia.
Georgia is another one of the crucial battleground states that the Democrats are defending in the presidential election.
The polls suggest that Trump is on track to take the Sunbelt state in November.
CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION
On Friday, Kennedy Jr. was speaking in front of a crowd of supporters in Phoenix for over an hour when he announced his campaign suspension.
“I want everyone to know that I am not terminating my campaign, I am simply suspending it,” Kennedy Jr. said at the rally.
“My name will remain on the ballot in most states.”
Kennedy Jr. told the crowd he encouraged his supporters to still vote for him in most states, saying their vote would not harm or help either Harris or Trump, no matter whether they live in a red or blue state.
There’s two options that we’re looking at, one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and [Tim] Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump, or we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump.
Nicole Shanahan
“If enough of you do vote for me, and neither of the major party candidates wins 270 [electoral] votes, which is quite possible,” Kennedy Jr. said alluding to a possible route to victory.
“In fact, today our polling shows them tying at 269 to 269,” he said to the crowd.
“And I could still conceivably still end up in the White House in a contingent election,” he said, receiving a singular “Woohoo!” from the crowd and a small applause.
However, in about 10 battleground states where his name would impact the vote, Kennedy Jr. said he would be removing his name from those ballots and urged people living there not to vote for him.
“In about 10 battleground states, where my presence would be a spoiler, I’m going to remove my name,” he told the crowd.
“I’ve already started that process.”