The Supreme Court denied a last-minute request on Tuesday to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the ballot for the upcoming presidential election in the critical states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

After transitioning from his independent candidacy, Kennedy had endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump and sought his removal, claiming that his continued listing violated his First Amendment rights.

Officials in both Michigan and Wisconsin argued that it would be unfeasible to eliminate Kennedy from the ballot so close to the election, especially with early voting already in progress.

The justices did not provide specific reasons for their decision to reject the emergency petition. Notably, Justice Neil Gorsuch dissented regarding the case concerning Michigan.

Independent and third-party candidates, like Kennedy, might significantly impact the outcomes in these pivotal states, as the upcoming presidential race is highly competitive. Previously, the Supreme Court had also declined to permit Kennedy to remain on the ballot in New York, where his candidacy is less likely to influence the showdown between Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.

Since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has been actively pursuing removal from the ballot across seven important swing states; Wisconsin and Michigan were the last where he was still expected to appear.

In Michigan, although he secured a favorable ruling in the appeals court, it was ultimately determined that he had failed to meet the necessary deadline to withdraw as the Natural Law Party’s candidate, a party that sought his continued presence on the ballot.

Conversely, in Wisconsin, the courts ruled that candidates who have submitted their nomination documents are required to remain on the ballot unless they pass away, and an effort to cover up Kennedy’s name with stickers was deemed impractical.