Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who recently suspended his presidential campaign to support former President Donald Trump, is reportedly unable to remove his name from the presidential ballot in Michigan. Despite his efforts to withdraw from the ballot in ten swing states, Michigan is one state where this is not possible, as reported by WKAR.
Kennedy was nominated under the Natural Law Party, which held its state nominating convention in April. According to Cheri Hardmon, a press secretary for the Michigan State Department, the deadline for the party to hold a new convention to nominate a different candidate has already passed. The state’s election calendar shows that the last day for minor parties to hold state conventions was August 6. This procedural detail prevents Kennedy from being able to withdraw his name from the ballot in Michigan at this point.
The timing of this situation is significant, as Michigan is a key swing state with a history of close elections. In 2020, President Joe Biden won the state over Donald Trump by just 2.8 percentage points. Given Michigan's critical role in determining the outcome of the presidential election, Kennedy’s presence on the ballot could potentially affect the final results, especially if his supporters shift their votes as polls have suggested.
Kennedy’s suspension of his campaign to aid Trump and his endorsement of the former president aim to prevent splitting the vote against Vice President Kamala Harris. However, his presence on the Michigan ballot could influence the state’s results in ways that could benefit Trump, according to polling data that showed Trump performing better with Kennedy on the ballot than in a direct match-up against Harris.
This situation highlights the complexities of the U.S. electoral process and the importance of timing and procedural rules in campaign strategies.