Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Quest for Ballot Access in All 50 States: Michigan and Utah Secured, But Challenges Ahead

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania United States of America
Biden's campaign has pledged a full court press to challenge Kennedy, including legal challenges and ads linking him to Trump supporters.
Kennedy gained access to Michigan's ballot by joining forces with the Natural Law Party.
Kennedy has gained ballot access in Michigan and Utah so far.
Kennedy's campaign aims to collect signatures that exceed the threshold by at least 60% to ensure validity.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is aiming to appear on the ballot in all 50 states and DC for the presidential election.
The process of collecting signatures to secure ballot access is expensive and time-consuming without party backing.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Quest for Ballot Access in All 50 States: Michigan and Utah Secured, But Challenges Ahead

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s quest to appear on the ballot in all 50 states and DC has seen him gain access to Michigan and Utah so far. However, the process is expensive and time-consuming without party backing.

Kennedy's campaign aims to collect signatures that exceed the threshold by at least 60% to ensure validity. Third-party and independent candidates face long odds in a political system built around two major parties.

On April 19, 2024, CNN reported that Kennedy will appear on Hawaii's presidential ballot following a Friday ruling that dismissed an objection from the Democratic Party of Hawaii regarding the validity of his We the People Party. This marks Kennedy's third state where he has officially qualified for ballot access.

CBS News reported on April 20, 2024, that Kennedy is working to get on the ballot in all 50 states and DC. The campaign aims to collect signatures that exceed the threshold by at least 60% to ensure validity.

The New York Times published an article on April 20, 2024, detailing how Kennedy gained access to the Michigan ballot by joining forces with the Natural Law Party. The party is a tiny political group in Michigan that has been kept on the ballot for 22 years by its chairman Doug Dern.

Despite several notable members of the Kennedy family not endorsing Joe Biden, such as Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver, Biden's campaign maintains that these non-endorsements are due to their nonpolitical professional roles. On April 18, 2024, at least 15 members of the Kennedy family endorsed President Joe Biden in an attempt to deflate RFK Jr.'s candidacy and emphasize the importance of reelecting him and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Biden's campaign has pledged a full court press to challenge Kennedy, including legal challenges to his ballot access and ads linking him to Trump supporters. The anti-vaccine group Kennedy led for years, Children's Health Defense, currently has a lawsuit pending against several news organizations accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation.



Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • The article mentions that Kennedy gained access to Hawaii's ballot following a ruling that dismissed an objection from the Democratic Party of Hawaii. However, it does not provide any details about the nature of this objection or why it was dismissed.
  • The article states that Biden's campaign has pledged a full court press to challenge Kennedy, but it does not specify what legal challenges they plan to make or on what grounds.

Sources

93%

  • Unique Points
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan gained access to the Michigan ballot by joining forces with the Natural Law Party
    • The Natural Law Party is a tiny political group in Michigan, kept on the ballot by its chairman Doug Dern for 22 years
    • Doug Dern received an email from a top strategist of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign in January 2024
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was formally nominated at a brief convention held in Doug Dern’s law office on a Wednesday morning with only two attendees: Doug Dern and the party’s secretary
  • Accuracy
    • ][The Natural Law Party is a tiny political group in Michigan, kept on the ballot by its chairman Doug Dern for 22 years][
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article by Rebecca Davis O'Brien contains one informal fallacy: Appeal to Authority. The author uses the statement of Doug Dern, the state chairman of the Natural Law Party of Michigan, as an authority to validate Kennedy's access to the ballot in Michigan. However, this does not necessarily mean that Kennedy's actions were free from fallacies or wrongdoing.
    • “Keep that ballot access,” Mr. Dern, 62, said in an interview on Friday. “Because someday, a candidate is going to come along who’s going to be perfect for it. Someday, the third parties are going to be hot.”
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

75%

  • Unique Points
    • President Joe Biden received endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy family, a prominent Democratic family.
    • The endorsements were aimed at undermining independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy and emphasizing the importance of reelecting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
    • Kerry Kennedy, a member of the Kennedy family, stated that there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency this year, framing the campaign as a choice between Biden and former President Donald Trump.
    • Despite several notable members of the Kennedy family not endorsing Joe Biden, such as Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver, Biden's campaign maintains that these non-endorsements are due to their nonpolitical professional roles.
  • Accuracy
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gained access to the Michigan ballot by joining forces with the Natural Law Party
    • At least 15 members of the Kennedy family endorsed Joe Biden during a campaign stop in Philadelphia
  • Deception (5%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only mentions the Kennedy family's endorsement of Biden and their criticism of RFK Jr., while omitting any mention of RFK Jr.'s political positions or accomplishments. This creates a biased portrayal of the situation.
    • The decision to highlight the Kennedy family’s support more than six months from Election Day is an indication of how seriously Biden’s team is taking a long shot candidate using his last name’s lingering Democratic magic to siphon support from the incumbent.
    • Given Kennedy Jr.’s quixotic political positions and the expectation this year’s campaign will be decided by thin margins, both Democrats and Republicans worry that he could be a spoiler.
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states 'Members of the prominent Democratic family have been vocal that they don’t see eye to eye politically with Kennedy Jr.' This statement implies that the Kennedy family's political opinions hold more weight than others, but this does not necessarily mean their opinions are correct or valid. Additionally, there is a use of inflammatory rhetoric when it states 'Donald Trump’s vision is one of anger, hate, revenge and retribution.' This statement is an overgeneralization and does not provide any evidence to support the claim.
    • ]Members of the prominent Democratic family have been vocal that they don’t see eye to eye politically with Kennedy Jr.[
    • Donald Trump’s vision is one of anger, hate, revenge and retribution.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear on Hawaii's presidential ballot after a ruling that allowed his campaign's ballot access petition.
    • Hawaii is the third state where Kennedy has officially qualified for ballot access, following Michigan and Utah.
    • An objection from the Democratic Party of Hawaii regarding the validity of Kennedy’s We the People Party was dismissed in Friday’s ruling.
  • Accuracy
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear on Hawaii’s presidential ballot after a ruling that allowed his campaign’s ballot access petition.
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has secured ballot access in Michigan for the upcoming election.
    • Kennedy's campaign has gathered enough signatures to qualify for ballot access in North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Nebraska, Idaho and Iowa. A super PAC backing Kennedy claims it has collected enough signatures for Georgia, Arizona and South Carolina.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

  • Unique Points
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running for president as an independent candidate in all 50 states and DC.
    • Kennedy’s campaign aims to collect signatures that exceed the threshold by at least 60% to ensure validity.
  • Accuracy
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has secured ballot access in Michigan for the upcoming election.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

75%

  • Unique Points
    • Kennedy faces an expensive and time-consuming process to get on the ballot in all 50 states and DC without party backing.
    • Third-party and independent candidates face long odds in the US political system built around two major parties.
  • Accuracy
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has secured ballot access in Michigan for the upcoming election.
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces an expensive and time-consuming process to get on the ballot in all 50 states and DC without party backing.
  • Deception (10%)
    The article makes several statements that are emotionally manipulative and sensational. It implies that Kennedy's presence on the ballot could 'tip the election', which is an exaggeration. It also states that Biden and Trump are 'spooked' by Kennedy, implying fear when there may not be any. The article also selectively reports information, focusing on Kennedy's stance on vaccines and his potential impact on the election, while ignoring other aspects of his campaign platform.
    • Biden scooped up endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop Thursday in Philadelphia.
    • Stung by losses in two of the last six elections that many Democrats blame on third-party candidates, the Democratic National Committee has pledged a full court press to challenge Kennedy, including legal challenges to his ballot access and ads linking Kennedy to Trump supporters.
    • Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has secured a place on the ballot in the battleground state of Michigan, elevating his potential to affect the November election.
    • Kennedy faces an expensive and time-consuming process to get on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia without the backing of a political party.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The article mentions that Kennedy's independent bid has spooked allies of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, implying a negative connotation towards Kennedy. It also states that the Democratic National Committee has pledged a full court press to challenge Kennedy's ballot access and is linking him to Trump supporters in ads. These statements demonstrate political bias against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
    • The article mentions that Kennedy's independent bid has spooked allies of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, implying a negative connotation towards Kennedy.
      • The Democratic National Committee has pledged a full court press to challenge Kennedy's ballot access and is linking him to Trump supporters in ads.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication