Politics
Kennedy Will Address His ‘Path Forward’ as Campaign Struggles
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s troubled presidential campaign said Wednesday that it would address its “path forward” at an event this week, even as the candidate himself was in a Long Island court fending off an attempt backed by the Democratic Party to …
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s troubled presidential campaign said Wednesday that it would address its “path forward” at an event this week, even as the candidate himself was in a Long Island court fending off an attempt backed by the Democratic Party to block him from New York’s ballot for a second time.
The event will be held in Phoenix on Friday, the same day that former President Donald J. Trump is expected to campaign in nearby Glendale, Ariz. On Tuesday, Mr. Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, said that the ticket was considering endorsing Mr. Trump; hours later, Mr. Trump said he would welcome it.
Mr. Kennedy, returning to court in Mineola, N.Y., after a lunch break, did not respond to questions about whether he would drop out of the race.
The political scion’s polling numbers have sagged in recent months, his campaign is running out of money and he has faced bad press and legal challenges to his ballot access. The Democratic Party, which effectively blocked him from its primary, has become his biggest target, and surveys show he draws votes primarily from Mr. Trump.
On Wednesday, Mr. Kennedy sat stewing in the courtroom, alternating between twirling his glasses and taking notes as lawyers grilled witnesses in a lawsuit against his campaign filed by two voters supported by the Democratic National Committee.
The voters have accused his campaign of employing subcontractors who deceived citizens as they gathered signatures to qualify him. The case is redundant: Mr. Kennedy has already been blocked from appearing on the ballot in New York after a judge found he had falsified his residency.
His place on the Pennsylvania ballot is also imperiled, following a challenge from Democratic activists. And The New York Times reported Tuesday that the signatures Mr. Kennedy’s campaign had submitted in Arizona may have been collected in a prohibited manner. As of Monday he was on the ballot in 19 states, including the battlegrounds of Michigan and North Carolina.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
