RFK Jr. suspends campaign and endorses Donald Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., relative of former President John F. Kennedy, has officially suspended his campaign in the 2024 presidential race.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on the Louisiana presidential ballot despite suspending his third party campaign last week to endorse former President Donald Trump.
In announcing his decision to suspend his campaign, Kennedy said he would remove his name where possible from battleground state ballots like Arizona and Pennsylvania so as not to be a potential spoiler, but that he would remain on the ballots in other states.
Louisiana is considered a safe state for Trump, who carried the state easily in 2016 and 2020.
Polls show Trump and Democratic Party nominee Vice President Kamala Harris are in a tight race where even small shifts in support could tip the scales in some battleground states.
Kennedy’s support stood at 4% in an Ipsos poll taken this month, and his campaign appeared to be running out of money, according to Federal Election Commission filings published last week. At the end of July, Kennedy’s campaign owed close to $3.5 million and had only $3.9 million on hand.
If Kennedy decided to withdraw as a candidate in Louisiana, he would have to file formal notice with Republican Secretary of State Nancy Landry before 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30.
Even if Kennedy officially withdrew as a candidate, his name and electors still would appear on the Louisiana ballot because of printing deadlines.
“Mr. Kennedy and his slate of presidential electors are still qualified as candidates in Louisiana unless they file a formal notice of withdrawal prior to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30,” the secretary of state’s spokesman Joel Watson said in a statement provided to USA Today Network. “His name and the names of his electors, however, will remain on the ballot even if they withdraw because of strict ballot printing deadlines. If a withdrawn candidate’s name is printed on the ballot, notice is posted at each polling place.”
Voters in Louisiana gave Trump landslide support in both of his previous presidential elections with 58% in both races. Trump beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 to win the presidency and lost to President Joe Biden in 2020.
Prominent Louisiana pollster John Couvillon has said Trump could even improve on his next performance in Louisiana in the Nov. 5 election.
Trump also enjoys the support of most of Louisiana’s top Republican politicians including new Gov. Jeff Landry, whom Trump also endorsed for governor.
Last week Landry posted a tweet on X after Kennedy’s announcement: “Welcome to the winners circle @RobertKennedyJr.”
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Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1
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Publish date : 2024-08-27 03:53:00
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