In Lansing, Michigan, a judge made a ruling stating that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. must stay on the presidential ballot for November, dealing a setback to his efforts to strategically withdraw his ticket from the battleground state. Kennedy had paused his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump in August. Subsequently, he has been attempting to remove his name from states, like Michigan, where the election may be closely contested, while aiming to stay on the ballot in states where his presence would not affect the outcome between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kennedy had filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in Michigan’s Court of Claims on Friday to remove his name from the ballot. Previously, Michigan election officials had rejected his withdrawal request. The judge ruled on Tuesday in favor of the secretary’s decision to retain Kennedy on the ballot, stating that under Michigan law, candidates nominated and accepting a minor party’s nomination “shall not be permitted to withdraw.”
Kennedy had argued in the lawsuit that his withdrawal notice was submitted in a timely manner and that the voters’ choices could be compromised if he remained on the ballot. A similar lawsuit was filed by Kennedy in North Carolina, where he seeks to withdraw his name from the ballot.
The judge, Christopher P. Yates, emphasized that elections are not trivial matters and stated that the Secretary of State is not obliged to comply with the wishes of candidates for public office. Last week, Kennedy’s request to withdraw from the ballot in Wisconsin was also denied by election officials there.
These legal battles involving third-party candidates are unfolding across the United States as Democrats and Republicans maneuver to leverage the potential impact of such candidates drawing support away from their competitors. In Michigan, a separate Court of Claims judge ruled last week that liberal independent candidate Cornel West must remain on the ballot, a decision welcomed by West’s campaign. The political landscape remains tense as both major parties navigate the significance of third-party candidates in various battleground states such as Arizona and Michigan.