A Michigan Court of Claims judge acted quickly this week to deny Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s request to be removed from the state’s presidential ballot. That’s after Kennedy suspended his campaign to back Republican nominee former President Donald Trump late last month.
Kennedy wants a court to reverse the determination of election officials in the Secretary of State’s office that he missed the deadline for removing his name as the nominee of the Natural Law Party of Michigan. Kennedy is trying to end his candidacy in Michigan and other swing states where he could siphon support from former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.
If history is any guide, it is highly unlikely that Kennedy would win Michigan’s 15 electoral votes but that doesn’t mean he can’t affect the outcome of the race. In 2016, for example, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton lost Michigan by 10,704 voters to former President Donald Trump while Green Party nominee Jill Stein received 51,463 votes.
On this week’s It’s Just Politics, hosts Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta speak with Brooking Institution’s Elaine Kamarck, author of “Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know About How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates,” about the role of third parties this election cycle.
And, finally, this week, as promised, a look at the winners of this year’s “I voted” sticker competition. Such a total hoot! Shoot us an email and let us know which sticker you’re going to be choosing this election season! We’re at politics@michiganpublic.org.
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