WEST DES MOINES — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he meets the requirements to be on the Iowa general election ballot in November after a “convention” he held in West Des Moines on Saturday. Ta.
“Thank you for putting us on the ballot here in Iowa,” he told the crowd of several hundred people.
Kennedy used a provision in Iowa law that allows independent presidential candidates to host a convention and identify 500 eligible “electors” from at least 25 counties, exceeding the state's standard requirement of 3,500. It is possible to avoid the signature of
He will need to submit documentation to the Iowa Secretary of State's office, which will need to review it.
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and leader of the anti-vaccination movement known for trafficking in conspiracy theories, is seeking to appear on the ballot in all 50 states. Kennedy said in an interview with the Des Moines Register that he is confident he will be on every state's ballot by July.
This is a complex and expensive endeavor, especially for third-party candidates who don't have the vast resources of the two major parties.
The campaign says Kennedy has enough signatures to appear on the ballot in Utah, Idaho, Hawaii, Nebraska and New Hampshire, as well as the battleground states of Nevada and North Carolina. But so far only Utah has officially confirmed his place on the ballot.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to use 'conventional' methods to get on the Iowa ballot
In Iowa, presidential candidates typically get on the ballot by collecting 3,500 signatures, including at least 100 signatures in each of the 19 counties.
But Iowa law allows independent candidates to collect fewer signatures by applying to be placed on the presidential ballot through the convention process. Through that process, Kennedy must obtain the signatures of 500 eligible electors representing at least 25 counties. These electors must be 18 years of age or older, a resident of Iowa, and a citizen of the United States.
At Saturday's event, participants also had to elect a conference president and secretary, as well as a central committee.
The required nomination certificate is also required to set out a process for filling vacancies on the ballot should a candidate withdraw or be removed from the ballot.
Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson's campaign used a similar voting route in 2012, holding a “caucus” at that year's Iowa State Fair to persuade attendees to register to vote. he claimed. The effort went through several state opposition commissions and courts that scrutinized candidates' petitions, before finally being approved and putting him on the ballot.
Some RFK Jr. rally attendees say they want someone other than Donald Trump or Joe Biden.
Hundreds of people attended Kennedy's event on Saturday, many of whom said they were not fans of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic President Joe Biden.
“I feel like we've had our eye on him for a while,” said Todd Holder, 44, of Pleasantville, who attended the event with his wife, Tonya. “The other two already had a chance. Let's give it to someone else.”
He said he voted for Trump in 2016 but did not vote for the president in 2020.
Tonya Holder, also 44, said she now plans to support Democratic President Joe Biden's reelection bid, but believes Americans should have more than one choice when it comes to their president.
“Everything that's going on with President Trump is so volatile that we definitely feel like we have to step away from that situation,” she said. “I'm a Biden supporter. But I'm interested in Kennedy. I've always had an open mind. I was taught to be open-minded. That's how I've grown up. .”
They said they learned about the incident on Facebook and planned to sign President Kennedy's petition to have it appear on their ballots.
Could Kennedy act as a “spoiler” candidate?
Recent national polls that include third-party candidates show Mr. Kennedy winning between 2% and 14% of the vote, averaging about 9%.
And according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll of seven battleground states, Mr. Kennedy's income averaged 11%, and he did just as well in Georgia at 8% and Nevada at 15%. ing.
Kennedy is doing significantly better in both national and battleground polls than fellow third-party candidates Cornel West and Jill Stein.
This represents significant support for an independent presidential candidate, but not enough to elect him president.
Political observers are divided on what role Mr. Kennedy may ultimately play in the outcome of the presidential election. But many Democrats increasingly view Biden as a “spoiler” candidate who could hurt his candidacy against President Trump. Especially in a race that is expected to hinge on a handful of battleground states with close results.
The New York Times reported on April 10 that Trump's allies are working to boost Kennedy and other independent presidential candidates in these battleground states by emphasizing qualities that will appeal to Democrats and more liberal swing voters. It was reported that there was.
In a video released by his campaign on April 11, Trump said, “I believe that RFK Jr. will do a very good job and that he will steal a lot of votes from crooked Joe Biden.” Told.
kennedy campaign recently fired A “voting access consultant” said in a presentation that his priority in the 2024 election is to defeat Biden, not necessarily to elect Kennedy.
“The enemy of Kennedy supporters and Trump supporters, our common enemy is Biden,” consultant Rita Palma said in a video posted online. “Whether you support Bobby or Trump, we all oppose Biden.”
President Kennedy distanced himself from Mr. Palma in an interview with the Register, reiterating that Mr. Palma had been fired.
“If there's a mainstream media outlet that wants to interview all of our field staff about their positions on various issues or catch us saying things that don't align with what we believe on the campaign trail, they 'You could do that,' he said, but this video was not from a media interview.
NBC News reports that the NDP is taking the threat posed by the Kennedy campaign seriously and is hiring veteran staffers like Rhys Smith, who helped oversee Pete Buttigieg's 2020 Democratic presidential campaign. reported hiring and countering the influence of potential spoiler candidates. The Democratic National Committee also hired a team of lawyers led by Biden's former White House counsel Dana Remus to oversee Kennedy's efforts to get his name on the ballot in key battleground states. Ta.
“Every day we get more evidence that a vote for RFK Jr. is a vote for Trump,” DNC spokesman Matt Corridoni said in a statement Thursday.
Kennedy said it was hypocritical for Democrats to try to keep him from voting.
“The Democratic Party represents democracy and should be the template for democracy around the world,” he told the Register. “And if you ask senior Democratic officials, 'Why are you doing this?' they'll say, 'We have to do this because Trump poses a great threat to democracy.' Well, that's kind of ironic. They are essentially saying that in order to save democracy, we must destroy it. ”
The Iowa Republican Party also criticized Kennedy, with party chairman Jeff Kaufman calling his appearance in the state “distracting” in a statement.
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a distraction. Instead of talking about the problems facing the American people caused by the Biden administration, he is promoting harmful conspiracy theories,” Kaufman said in a statement. Stated. “Iowans want solutions, not distractions. President Trump will deliver on his promises to secure our borders, rebuild our economy, and restore America's standing around the world.”
Kennedy campaigned in Iowa only briefly. He attended the Iowa State Fair and two handshakes in August 2023.
At Saturday's event, he slammed other issues, including the two-party system, presidential elections and the threat of processed foods. He claimed he was the only one who could bring about “complete change” to the country.
“If you want more of the same, you should vote for Trump or Biden,” he said to cheers.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief political reporter for the Des Moines Register. She's also covering her 2024 presidential campaign as USA TODAY's senior national election correspondent. Contact us at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow @brianneDMR on Twitter.
