The independent presidential candidate did not meet CNN’s ballot access and polling guidelines.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s attempt to qualify for CNN’s June 27 presidential debate has fallen short due to issues with ballot access and polling.
CNN announced on June 20 that only President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have met the qualification criteria.
As per CNN’s rules, a candidate must be listed on enough state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win the presidency by June 20.
The Kennedy–Shanahan ticket claims to have secured the required number of signatures for ballot access in 23 states, totaling 310 electoral votes.
While this theoretically meets CNN’s debate qualification standards, states typically certify presidential candidates in August and September.
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The complaint alleges that this action is a violation of federal campaign finance laws.
Mr. Kennedy contends that until President Biden and former President Trump are officially nominated at the Democrat and Republican conventions this summer, they are considered “presumptive nominees” and not formally on the ballot.
In response to the complaint, CNN stated that state-recognized political party nominees are typically granted ballot access without petitioning under state law.
“As the presumptive nominees of their parties, both Biden and Trump will fulfill this requirement. However, as an independent candidate, RFK Jr. does not meet this criteria under applicable laws. Merely applying for ballot access does not guarantee placement on the ballot in any state. Additionally, RFK Jr. does not currently meet our polling criteria, which were established before debate invitations were issued,” the statement clarified.
Candidates must also achieve “at least 15 percent in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters that meet CNN’s reporting standards” to qualify for the debate.
CNN has provided a comprehensive list of polls that meet their criteria for debate eligibility, including surveys from various reputable sources.
According to his campaign, Mr. Kennedy has met the requirements for three of those polls. He garnered 17 percent support in a Marquette Law School survey last week and received 16 percent backing in CNN and Quinnipiac polls in April.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, which has overseen all presidential forums since 1988, is not involved this year.
In a letter to the Commission on Presidential Debates dated May 15, President Biden’s campaign declined to participate in the planned fall debates, citing a preference for earlier dates.
President Trump’s campaign also expressed a preference for earlier debates in a letter to the commission last month.
“Presidents Trump and Biden are colluding to lock America into a head-to-head match-up that 70 percent say they do not want. They are trying to exclude me from their debate because they are afraid I would win.”
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