Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to appear on the ballot in Michigan this November, potentially posing a challenge for President Biden in maintaining the state’s Democratic stronghold.
The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office has officially confirmed to The Post on Thursday that Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, have been nominated for president and vice president by the Natural Law Party. As a result, they will be listed as an option in the upcoming Nov. 5 election.
According to a recent survey conducted by Marketing Resource Group earlier this month, Kennedy, at the age of 70, was found to be polling at 13% in the Mitten State.
According to the poll, in a five-way matchup, former President Donald Trump garnered 37% support, while President Biden secured 34% support. The Green Party candidate, Jill Stein, received 2% support, while the independent candidate, Cornel West, obtained 1% support.
According to the survey, Kennedy outperformed Biden among independent voters, securing the third spot. Trump received 33% support from this group, followed by RFK Jr. with 22% and Biden with 21%.
Kennedy also garnered 40% support from individuals known as “double-haters,” referring to potential voters who have a dislike for both Biden and Trump. The 45th president trailed far behind with only 11% support within this demographic, while Biden received 10% support.
According to a statement by Doug Dern, the chairman of the Natural Law Party of Michigan, he believes that Mr. Kennedy and Ms. Shanahan are the most qualified candidates in the history of America. He also welcomes them to the party.
According to Bill Costantino, the regional coordinator for Kennedy 2024 in western Michigan, Kennedy is a great candidate for the state. With over 40 years of experience as an environmental champion, Kennedy is committed to restoring the Great Lakes region, which contains 20% of the world’s fresh water. His focus will be on creating a thriving fishing economy and preserving the ecosystem for both commercial fishermen and individual anglers.
Kennedy had planned to celebrate his electoral victory by organizing a comedy show on Sunday night in Royal Oak, a Detroit suburb. The event would feature the renowned comedian Rob Schneider, well-known for his time on “Saturday Night Live.”
In the 2020 election, Biden secured victory in Michigan by a narrow margin of less than 155,000 votes, out of over 5.5 million ballots cast. Now, he is facing a challenging task of maintaining support in the state, as over 100,000 individuals expressed their dissatisfaction with the president’s approach to the Middle East conflict by casting “uncommitted” ballots in the Democratic primary held on February 27.
Kennedy has set his sights on appearing on the ballot in all 50 states, which poses a challenging endeavor due to the diverse requirements for each individual contest.
The team at The Independent asserts that he is already listed as a candidate in Utah and has gathered enough signatures to qualify in Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.
“We are fully equipped with field teams, volunteers, legal experts, paid circulators, dedicated supporters, and experienced strategists who are prepared to accomplish the task,” expressed Stefanie Spear, the campaign’s press secretary. She further added, “We are not only meeting but surpassing all our targets and will be unveiling new states on a weekly basis.”
RFK Jr. has centered his campaign around his opposition to COVID vaccines, his stance against war, and his commitment to environmental causes. Throughout his campaign, he has criticized both Biden and Trump.
Both top party candidates have faced criticism from their supporters towards Kennedy. Donald Trump’s super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc., recently launched a website called “Radical F-ing Kennedy” on Monday. On the other hand, more than a dozen members of the Kennedy family have endorsed Joe Biden, highlighting their support for him.
