WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is less than a month away from the deadline for the criteria set by CNN to get on the debate stage with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Though his approval ratings are still lacking, RFK's campaign remains hopeful.
“We expect to meet all of the eligibility thresholds by June 20th and look forward to providing the American voter with the three-way debate they deserve,” Kennedy campaign manager Amaryllis Fox said on X.
Requirements for the first presidential debate
CNN will host the first presidential debate on June 27, and the network has announced certain criteria that candidates must meet to be eligible to debate: Each candidate must appear on the ballot in enough states to win the 270 electoral votes and receive at least 15% support in four national polls.
Kennedy claimed Tuesday that he had met the signature requirements to qualify for the ballot in New York state, another key race advance in the Democratic stronghold and one that could prove decisive in the House race.
The independent presidential candidate has collected more than the number of signatures needed to run in New York state, according to a campaign official who announced the development on Tuesday. The campaign said it has submitted more than 135,000 signatures to the New York State Board of Elections.
The addition is notable for its 28 electoral votes, but also for its potential ripple effects on lower-district districts: Having Kennedy on the ballot could help boost voter turnout and play a role in several House races expected to be crucial in the Democratic battle for control of the House.
With Kennedy now eligible to vote in New York, the presidential candidate will now be on the ballot in eight states.
The Kennedy campaign also announced that it had collected enough signatures to appear on the ballot in nine other states, amounting to a total of 229 electoral votes, leaving the presidential candidates 41 electoral votes short of qualifying to participate in the debates.
Growing national support for RFK Jr.
Kennedy, who initially entered the race as a Democrat but switched to being an independent, is challenging both Biden and Trump and is attracting attention from voters who don't want a repeat of 2020.
Since then, Kennedy has received at least 15% support in three nationally recognized polls and has received similar support in several others: 17% support in an early May Marquette University poll, 16% support in a late April CNN/SSRS poll, and 16% support in a late April Quinnipiac University poll.
Presidential candidates must meet the debate threshold by June 20, seven days before the debate will be held without spectators in Georgia.
If Kennedy qualifies, he will be the first third-party candidate to take part in a presidential debate in 32 years.
The Hill contributed to this report.
