PHOENIX (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long argued that the biggest hurdle of his presidential campaign is the perception that independent candidates can’t win. He has looked to the debates as a singular opportunity to stand alongside Joe Biden and Donald Trump in front of a massive audience.
But to make the first debate stage, he’ll have to secure a place on the ballot in at least a dozen more states and improve his showing in national polls in one month.
With a famous name and a loyal base, Kennedy has the potential to do better than any third-party presidential candidate since Ross Perot in the 1990s. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns, who fear he could play spoiler, bypassed the nonpartisan debate commission and agreed to a schedule that leaves Kennedy very little time to qualify for the first debate.
Publicly, Kennedy is expressing confidence that he will make the stage.
Everybody may love Raymond, but Ray Romano loves Peter Boyle
Mel Gibson sports an arm sling following shoulder injury as he attends a coffee meeting in Malibu
'The Tortured Poets Department' gets largest streaming week ever
Shooting injures 2 at Missouri high school graduation ceremony
Conservative states challenge federal rule on treatment of transgender students
Politicians, dog experts vilify South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for killing her dog
King and Queen jet back to London for public
Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 26
Russell Brand announces plan to be baptised as it's 'an opportunity to leave the past behind'
China's first intelligent offshore drilling platform installed
Former teacher at New Hampshire youth detention center testifies about bruised teens