Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was unable to meet the CNN presidential debate qualifications by the network’s deadline on June 27, as reported by CNN. This setback is a significant blow to his independent presidential campaign, as it means he will not share the national debate stage with President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.
Securing a spot in the CNN debate, one of the two presidential debates before Election Day, would have been a valuable opportunity for the Kennedy campaign. The first debate between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump in 2020 attracted over 73 million viewers, and Mr. Kennedy would have had the chance to address his opponents in front of a large national audience.
The last time a third-party or independent presidential candidate participated in a national debate was in 1992, when Ross Perot joined President George Bush and Gov. Bill Clinton in three debates leading up to the election.
However, Mr. Kennedy fell short of meeting the criteria for qualification. Despite facing various challenges before the deadline, he accused CNN of collusion with the Biden and Trump campaigns to exclude him from the debate. He lodged a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging a violation of campaign finance laws by the network.
CNN refuted these allegations. Both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump share a common interest in keeping Mr. Kennedy out of the debate, as his candidacy is drawing support away from them. Both campaigns are wary of his potential to influence the election in crucial battleground states.
To qualify, Mr. Kennedy needed to achieve at least 15% support in four approved national polls. By the deadline, he only had three such polls from CNN, Quinnipiac University, and Marquette University Law School.
Additionally, Mr. Kennedy needed to be on the ballot in enough states to secure 270 Electoral College votes. As of the deadline, he was only on the ballot in six states, totaling 89 Electoral College votes.
The ballot access requirement was more challenging for an independent candidate compared to the polling requirement.
While Mr. Kennedy had filed petitions to appear on the ballot in more than a dozen other states, legal challenges have hindered this process, leaving him far from reaching the 270 vote threshold.
Despite efforts to secure ballot access in various states, Mr. Kennedy’s campaign faced obstacles, with legal challenges impacting their progress. The campaign had anticipated approval for many state ballot petitions by the deadline, but as of Thursday, they had not made significant strides towards meeting the Electoral College threshold. CNN has clarified that merely applying for ballot access does not equate to being officially on the ballot in a state.
