Kennedy is withdrawing from the ballot in battleground states.
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Nixon library in Yorba Linda, Calif., on June 12, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
By Zachary Stieber and Jeff Louderback
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Aug. 23 that he’s suspending his campaign and throwing his support behind former President Donald Trump.
“In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control,” Kennedy said in a speech from Phoenix, Arizona.
“So I cannot, in good conscience, ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours, or ask my donors to keep giving when I cannot honestly tell them that I have a real path to the White House.”
Kennedy, 70, later said that he was supporting Trump, citing their alignment on key issues.
The announcement came amid rising speculation about the future of the campaign after his running mate said earlier this week they were looking at possibly dropping out and endorsing Trump.
Kennedy has seen a dip in the polls in recent months, with many showing support for him consistently in the single digits. His campaign is also facing financial troubles. On Wednesday, Kennedy’s principal campaign committee, Team Kennedy, told the Federal Election Commission it ended July with about $3.9 million in cash on hand and about $3.5 million in debts and obligations.
The remarks came after The Epoch Times obtained a court filing from the Kennedy campaign that referenced a forthcoming “endorsement of Donald Trump for the office of President of the United States.”
The document was filed in a case challenging whether Kennedy should be on the November ballot in Pennsylvania and was published ahead of the address Kennedy delivered. Campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear later told The Epoch Times that Kennedy was not endorsing the former president.
Withdrawing From Battleground Ballots
Kennedy said in the speech that he was withdrawing his name from ballots in battleground states “where my presence would be a spoiler.”
He urged voters in those states not to vote for him given his suspended campaign.
At the same time, Kennedy said his name would remain on ballots in the rest of the states and that voters could pick him over Trump, 78, and Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, if they live in those states.
“If you live in a blue state, you can vote for me without harming or helping President Trump or Vice President Harris. In red states, the same will apply,” he said.
Kennedy had been running as an independent presidential candidate after initially launching a 2024 bid as a Democrat. It is unclear whether Trump or Harris will benefit more from his dropping out.
Later Friday, Trump is slated to hold a rally in Glendale, Arizona with a “special guest,” his campaign said.
A Trump campaign spokesman did not respond when asked whether Kennedy will be that guest. Kennedy’s campaign did not return an inquiry seeking confirmation regarding whether he will be attending Trump’s rally.
Backing Trump
Kennedy said in Friday’s speech that Trump asked him to be part of a potential Trump administration and that he’s met with him multiple times since Trump was shot in an assassination attempt.
“I was surprised to discover that we are aligned on many key issues,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he is aligned with Trump on issues like ending “forever wars” and “childhood epidemics.” He also said they agree upon securing the border, and protecting freedom of speech.
At a campaign event in Nevada shortly after Kennedy’s announcement, Trump thanked the independent for his support.
“That’s big, he’s a great guy. Respected by everybody,” Trump told the crowd.
Kennedy on Thursday officially withdrew from the Arizona ballot, and in Friday’s filing asked to be removed from the Pennsylvania ballot.
Kennedy during his speech decried how Democrats refused to hold debates, instead aligning behind President Joe Biden before Biden dropped out of the race and then nominating Vice President Kamala Harris without a primary. Kennedy also criticized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for backing lawsuits in a number of states, including New York, aimed at getting him removed from the ballot.
“Each time that our volunteers turned in those towering boxes of signatures needed to get on the ballot, the DNC dragged us into court … attempting to erase their work and to subvert the will of the voters who had signed those petitions,” he said.
The DNC cheered Kennedy’s dropping out of the race.
“Donald Trump isn’t earning an endorsement that’s going to help build support, he’s inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate,” DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill said in a statement. “Good riddance.”
The Harris campaign sought to reach out to RFK Jr. supporters in the wake of the suspension.
“For any American out there who is tired of Donald Trump and looking for a new way forward, ours is a campaign for you,” Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.
“Even if we do not agree on every issue, Kamala Harris knows there is more that unites us than divides us: respect for our rights, public safety, protecting our freedoms, and opportunity for all.”
Tackling Chronic Disease
In his speech, Kennedy highlighted why he believes it is critical to tackle the chronic disease epidemic.
During COVID pandemic, the U.S. had 16 percent of COVID deaths, though the country has 4.2 percent of the world’s population, he said. “We have the highest chronic disease rate on earth,” he added.
Kennedy talked about the prevalence of obesity in America that didn’t exist a century ago, and how that has led to significant increases in cases of diabetes and other conditions. He also lamented the drastic rise in childhood neurological issues like ADHD and autism.
“Today, government health care spending is almost all for chronic disease, and it’s double the military budget,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy concluded his speech by saying that the “chronic disease crisis” was a primary reason why he ran for president.
“It’s the reason I’ve made the heartwrenching decision to suspend my campaign and to support President Trump.”
“If I’m given the chance to fix the chronic disease crisis and reform our food production. I promise that within two years, we will watch the chronic disease burden lift dramatically,” Kennedy said.
“If President Trump is elected and honors his word, the vast burden of chronic disease that now country will disappear.”
Jeff Louderback covers news and features on the White House and executive agencies for The Epoch Times. He also reports on Senate and House elections. A professional journalist since 1990, Jeff has a versatile background that includes covering news and politics, business, professional and college sports, and lifestyle topics for regional and national media outlets.