RFK Jr. reportedly considering running under Libertarian Party to boost chances of gaining nationwide ballot access

By lauraharris // 2024-02-02

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now considering running for president as the candidate of the Libertarian Party just months after he announced his run as an independent. RFK Jr., as he is more commonly known, has only qualified for the ballot in Utah after he announced his run as an independent. To get more widespread ballot access, he has explored the option of forming new political parties in several states, such as the "We The People Party" in California, Delaware, Hawaii, Mississippi and North Carolina; as well as the "Texas Independence Party" in Texas, so that he can get ballot access with a lower signature threshold. But even with these workarounds, independent candidates like RFK Jr. find it difficult, if not impossible, to gain ballot access. In an interview with Michael Smerconish, RFK Jr., acknowledged the possibility of a Libertarian bid. (Related: RFK Jr. to name his running mate "fairly soon.") "That’s something that we’re looking at. We have a really good relationship with the Libertarian Party. We are talking to the Libertarian Party. I feel very comfortable with most of the values of the Libertarian Party ... and like I say, we have good relationships. I'm talking regularly to Libertarian groups. So, we'll continue to do those talks," RFK Jr. said. In a podcast interview of Smerconish with Angela McArdle, the head of the Libertarian Party, she also said the party and RFK Jr. had been having "a lot of good conversations" and were "on good terms." "I respect his decision to want to go independent. But Libertarians really admire the strong position against mandates and lockdowns, and so we're going to stay on friendly terms and see what happens," McArdle stated. Furthermore, Kyle Kondik, an election analyst and managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said the outcome of the 2024 elections would change if RFK Jr. ran as president of the Libertarian Party. "This would help RFK Jr. in terms of ballot access, as the Libertarians already have access in many places. The Libertarians have been the most consistent third-party presence in American politics over the past few decades," he said.

Democrats believe RFK Jr. running under Libertarian Party would be a disaster for Biden

The possibility of RFK Jr. running as president for the Libertarian Party has rankled Democrats due to its potential consequences for the re-election bid of President Joe Biden. RFK Jr., who initially entered the race as a Democrat before opting for an independent run, would take advantage of potentially lower signature thresholds for party candidates compared to independent candidates. The move to the Libertarian Party could potentially alleviate some of the challenges he faces, making it more feasible for RFK Jr. to secure ballot access in crucial swing states. However, Democrats, including strategist Doug Gordon, remain dismissive of RFK Jr.'s push to gain nationwide ballot access. "It is interesting that the man who said he belongs to no party now suddenly wants to belong to a party when it serves his interest. Hijacking the Libertarian Party ballot line won’t change his odds of winning the presidency, which he has no chance at. But it does increase the odds he could play spoiler and hand the keys to the White House back to Trump," Gordon said. Charles Byrd, who chairs the Libertarian Party of Stanislaus County, California, backed the claims of Gordon. "The people who support Trump have already made up their minds. Kennedy won't be peeling off Trump supporters. Most of Kennedy’s supporters are people from across the spectrum whose big issues are personal autonomy and parental rights in the context of the vaccine debate," he said. Many Democrats believe that adding the Libertarian Party to the picture would only make the situation worse for Biden. "Under our current system, third parties can't win the presidency, they can only play the role of spoiler. And all indications point to this being an extremely close election. So pulling any votes from Biden, even a small amount, is helping Trump," Gordon said. Kennedy.news has more stories about RFK Jr.'s presidential run. Listen to this conversation between RFK Jr. and Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as they discuss a variety of topics including election integrity and border security. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

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Democrats believe RFK Jr. running under Libertarian Party would be a disaster for Biden

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