RFK Jr. Wins Removal From Ballot in Two Swing States

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Facts

  • Former independent candidate for president Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday had his request to have his name removed from the ballot in North Carolina and Michigan granted by separate court rulings.[1]
  • In North Carolina, the intermediate-level Court of Appeals — a three-judge panel — ordered the state to stop mailing ballots with Kennedy's name on them and requested a trial judge order the State Board of Elections to distribute ones without Kennedy's name on them. A similar court in Michigan ruled Kennedy's name should be removed from that state's ballots.[1]
  • However, a Wisconsin judge denied Kennedy's request to have his name removed from that state's ballots. Previously, it was determined Kennedy's name would not show up on ballots in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.[2]
  • Kennedy — who earned a ballot slot through a new party his supporters created called We The People — suspended his campaign on August 23 and endorsed the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Kennedy then said he wished to have his name removed from the ballots in 10 competitive states.[3][4]
  • The North Carolina Election Board had denied Kennedy's request because of the logistics and a judge agreed with the board prior to Kennedy's appeal. A Michigan judge had similarly dismissed Kennedy's suit early last week. The appeals court's ruling not only overturned the lower court but also went against the wishes of the Michigan secretary of state's office.[4][5]
  • Trump reacted to the North Carolina ruling by commenting, 'All of the Bobby people are going to vote for me.' But polling shows Trump and Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, both benefited from Kennedy's withdrawal.[3]

Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]BBC News, [3]CNBC, [4]Independent and [5]CNN.

Narratives

  • Republican narrative, as provided by Breitbart. This is a triumph for Kennedy and justice. If someone doesn't want to be included on a ballot, it's their right. In this case, Kennedy is admirably trying to avoid being a spoiler to his candidate of choice, Trump. Democrats — who fought Kennedy's access to the ballot in the first place — want to keep him on because it's politically advantageous to them, but their argument falls flat in contrast to election laws.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Washington Post. Kennedy is only fighting to get off the ballot in places he thinks he can help Trump. This isn't about his individual rights, but his political games — after he fought so hard to get on the ballot in many states. Aside from the impact he could have on Harris' chances, he's exacting an undue administrative burden on states and creating problematic chaos where there need not be any.

Predictions