Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will still appear on the ballot in Michigan and Wisconsin despite suspending his presidential campaign — and could remain on the ballot in other critical battleground states, including Nevada and North Carolina.
The former independent presidential candidate, who suspended his 2024 bid on Friday and endorsed former President Donald Trump, said he would take his name off the ballot in key states where he could hurt the Republican’s results.
However, his request to escape has already backfired in at least two swing states that could decide the election.
In Michigan, it is too late for him to be removed.
“Minor party candidates cannot withdraw, so his name will remain on the ballot in the November election,” Cheri Hardmon, press secretary for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, told Axios on Tuesday.
Kennedy was nominated earlier this year as the candidate of the Natural Law Party.
“The Natural Law Party held their convention to select electors for [RFK Jr.]. They cannot meet at this point to select new electors since it’s past the primary,” Hardmon told the outlet.
Both the Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns have been targeting Michigan hard to herd voters to their side.
The Great Lake State went to President Biden in 2020 by less than three percentage points.
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), previously told The Post that he is focusing on Michigan to win over Midwestern voters.
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Elections Commission also voted Tuesday to deny Kennedy’s request to be removed from the ballot.
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The Commission based its decision on a Wisconsin law that says anyone who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot cannot decline nomination.
“You’re not going to be able to cut a deal with someone and play last-minute games,” Democratic Commissioner Mark Thomsen said.
“Which is what I think is happening here, frankly… We know Trump and Kennedy are playing games.”
The Badger State’s Election Commission is a bipartisan board made up of six appointed members — three Democrats and three Republicans. This means no independents or third parties are represented.
The result has come down to approximately 20,000 votes in Wisconsin in four of the previous six presidential elections.
Kennedy is also likely to face challenges removing his name from the ballot in other critical swing states such as Nevada and North Carolina, NPR reported.
However, it is unclear exactly how Kennedy dropping out will impact his supporters and whether they will cast their vote for Trump or Harris — or not vote.
