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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, has successfully secured a spot on the Michigan ballot for the upcoming 2024 presidential election, adding a new dynamic to the race in the critical rust belt state that was won by Donald Trump in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020.
This achievement comes after Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, were nominated by the Natural Law Party of Michigan.
Doug Dern, the chair of the Natural Law Party of Michigan, confirmed Kennedy’s nomination at the party’s convention on Wednesday, as reported by CNN. The Michigan Secretary of State’s office has validated the party’s decision, ensuring Kennedy’s place on the ballot.
Kennedy’s participation in the race is significant in Michigan, a state with historically close electoral contests. President Joe Biden narrowly won Michigan in 2020, while former President Donald Trump claimed the state in 2016, each by less than 1% of the vote.
A recent Wall Street Journal poll shows Kennedy with 12% support among Michigan voters, while Trump leads with 39% and Biden follows closely with 37% in a six-candidate scenario. In a head-to-head match-up, Trump edges out Biden 48% to 45%.
Kennedy’s presence as a third-party candidate is reminiscent of past elections where minor party candidates made significant impacts. For instance, in 2016, Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Jill Stein of the Green Party combined received over 220,000 votes in Michigan.
Due to Kennedy’s potential influence, the Democratic National Committee is actively working against him, drawing connections between him and Trump through billboard ads in Grand Rapids, Michigan. These ads focus on donations to Kennedy’s super PAC from Timothy Mellon, a Republican megadonor who has also backed Trump-aligned groups.
Can't wait to see you all at our rally today in Grand Rapids!
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 10, 2024
These DNC funded billboards gave me a chuckle. The DNC must've just realized I have the highest net favorability of anyone in the race and am surging in the polls. https://t.co/KlBumk6ITY
Michigan’s political landscape features a notable pro-Palestinian voter base that has expressed dissatisfaction with President Biden’s policies towards Israel, particularly his approach to military actions in Gaza. This sentiment was evident during Michigan’s Democratic primary last month, where over 100,000 votes were cast for the “uncommitted” ballot line, largely influenced by a grassroots movement of Arab and Muslim Americans.
Additionally, pro-Palestinian activist groups are actively encouraging Arab-Americans and Palestine supporters to boycott the presidential election as a form of protest against U.S. support for Israel. These efforts could hurt Biden’s chances, as he depended heavily on Arab-American votes to win Michigan in 2020.
Kennedy’s campaign has also made progress in other states, having secured ballot access in Michigan and Utah. He is on track to appear on the ballot in several other states, including New Hampshire, Hawaii, Nebraska, Idaho, North Carolina, Iowa, and Nevada. The campaign has faced challenges, as the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing Kennedy’s campaign of illegal coordination with the American Values 2024 super PAC. In response, the super PAC has paused its signature collection activities.
The Biden campaign is increasingly wary of third-party candidates, prompting the formation of a task force to counter the potential electoral threats posed by RFK Jr., People’s Party candidate Cornel West, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and the centrist No Labels campaign.
