The presidential election is now down to two candidates. Or is it?
The answer to that question has Joe Biden freaking out because of what RFK Jr. is about to do.
It feels as though every four years the presidential election just keeps getting weirder and weirder. Donald Trump winning the 2016 election was definitely a major part of that, as no one could’ve guessed that would’ve been the case back in the early 2010s.
Now in 2024, the idea that Joe Biden and Donald Trump would be facing off against each other once again is something that’s entirely unprecedented in American history. Again, not many had that on their bingo cards after Donald Trump left office in January 2021.
Another curveball might be waiting around the corner though, particularly if you ask Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on the verge of securing ballot access in pivotal battleground states, a development that could have far-reaching implications for the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. The states Mr. Kennedy is making progress in are states that Joe Biden is lagging behind Donald Trump in, as surveys have shown.
The recent announcement on Super Tuesday that Kennedy’s campaign had amassed the requisite signatures to secure ballot placement in Nevada marked a significant milestone. Additionally, American Values 2024, a super PAC aligned with Kennedy’s candidacy, achieved similar feats in Arizona and Georgia in recent weeks. These states, where the margin of victory was slim in the previous election, are now the focal points of Kennedy’s bid for the presidency.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Kennedy underscored the public’s desire for an alternative to the candidates of the 2020 election cycle, stating, “Nearly 70% of Americans don’t want a Trump/Biden rematch from 2020. They want to vote for someone who represents hope and healing. For someone with an inspiring vision for America.”
Bobby Kennedy Jr has enough signatures for ballot access in Nevada:
"That’s our fourth state, we’re beating our benchmarks in all the other states, so we’re very confident we’re going to be on the ballot in every state.” pic.twitter.com/C5VlqC0NeR
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 6, 2024
He expressed his eagerness to challenge both Biden and Trump on a wide array of issues, including affordable housing, healthcare accessibility, ending prolonged military engagements, and combating corporate influence in government.
Current polling data paints a challenging picture for Biden in these battleground states, with Trump enjoying leads in head-to-head matchups. Moreover, when factoring in the presence of third-party candidates like Kennedy, Cornel West of the “Justice for All Party,” and Jill Stein of the Green Party, Trump’s margin widens. Kennedy, consistently polling between 6.7% to 8.5%, emerges as the most prominent third-party contender.
The significance of battleground states like Arizona and Georgia, which Trump won in 2016 but narrowly lost to Biden in 2020, cannot be overstated. Jon McHenry, a GOP polling analyst, posits that even a marginal shift towards Trump due to Kennedy’s candidacy could prove decisive in swing states like Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin, potentially tipping the scales in favor of Trump.
Kennedy’s decision to run as an independent after initially challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination has raised questions about his potential impact on the race. Mark Weaver, a seasoned Republican strategist, suggests that Kennedy’s Democratic background could siphon more support away from Biden than Trump. However, Kyle Kondik, a nonpartisan polling analyst, contends that Kennedy’s candidacy may have a nuanced effect, potentially influencing both Biden and Trump supporters.
Beyond securing ballot access in battleground states, Kennedy’s campaign strategy encompasses a broader national approach. With successful ballot access achieved in Utah and ongoing efforts to attain it in New Hampshire, Kennedy’s team is also focusing on gathering signatures in several other states, including California, Illinois, and Michigan. Additionally, supporters have established the “We The People” party in Hawaii, with plans to expand its presence to other states.
The overarching objective of Kennedy’s campaign is to secure ballot access in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., a milestone that would significantly enhance his credibility as a presidential contender.
In a political landscape ripe for disruption, Kennedy’s emergence as a viable third-party candidate has the potential to reshape the trajectory of the 2024 election, offering the undecided voters an option that isn’t Joe Biden or Donald Trump. As the campaign progresses and Kennedy continues to gain momentum, the dynamics of the race are likely to evolve, making his candidacy a focal point of national attention in the coming months.
Most political experts agree that a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ballot appearance is a larger threat to the Joe Biden campaign as it is the old school “liberals” that Kennedy is trying to court with his message this election season.
Kennedy released his own sort of response to the State of the Union address and in it he is clearly trying to pull in anyone who is more fond of the way the political parties used to act prior to the 2000s into his corner. That may be an interesting offer for anyone who is on the Left but simply annoyed with the Democrats for peddling a second Joe Biden term.
In the case of Donald Trump, it’s hard to imagine that his own voting base would be swayed by a third-party option like Kennedy when not even a rising star like Ron DeSantis could reasonably chip away at that rock-solid foundation that Donald Trump has in the conservative base.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
