(USNewsBreak.com) – Two main subjects have dominated election talk lately: former President Donald Trump and current Commander-in-Chief Joe Biden. Pundits have predicted the 2024 election will repeat the 2020 matchup despite the obstacles both perceived candidates face. However, if history does repeat itself, they may face some competition. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) has managed to qualify to land himself on the ballot in several states — and some think he could swing the results one way or another.
To qualify as an independent candidate, one must secure enough signatures. Kennedy has now managed to do that in key battleground states — Georgia and Arizona — where Biden won in 2020, which secured him the presidency. RFK also qualified and appeared on the Utah ballot and has enough signatures to appear on Hawaii and New Hampshire ballots. He was initially challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination before he chose to drop out and run as an independent.
Critics attribute part of Kennedy’s success to American Values 2024, a super PAC committed to spending up to $15 million to help him. According to co-founder Tony Lyons, the movement is looking to secure RFK’s name on ballots in 10 more states.
The likelihood that RFK will win is very low, but he could pull votes away from either of the two leading candidates, swinging the pendulum in a direction. Some worry he could cost Trump or Biden the election. Because Biden barely beat out Trump in key states in 2020, RFK’s appearance on the ballots could negate the incumbent’s narrow advantage. Alternatively, some moderate Republicans might choose to vote for the Independent candidate, pulling critical votes away from Trump.
Kennedy has real aspirations to appear on the ballot in all 50 states and DC by the time November rolls around. As of the time of writing, the PAC hadn’t yet submitted the signatures to Arizona and Georgia elections offices but planned to do so in accordance with the Federal Elections Commission guidelines.
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