Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will return to Arizona for a political rally in Phoenix as his supporters gather signatures to gain ballot access in 2024.
Kennedy Jr. will hold his “Voter Rally” at the Legends Event Center in Phoenix on December 20 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., and the registration page on his campaign website includes a link to a video about the Kennedy campaign’s efforts to secure ballot access in all 50 states as an independent candidate.
Kennedy Jr., who is both the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, entered the 2024 presidential election as a Democrat and repeatedly challenged President Joe Biden to a debate. In October, Kennedy Jr. cited opted to run as an independent candidate, citing a “rising tide of discontent” with both major political parties.
A super PAC supporting Kennedy Jr. recently pledged to spend $15 million to secure ballot access in a group of 10 states, including Arizona, where the campaign will be required to collect signatures by hand. The group also plans to get ballot access in the battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada. However, they also plan for Kennedy Jr. to be on the ballot in Republican and Democratic strongholds, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, New York, and Texas.
Despite concerns among Republicans that Kennedy Jr.’s message may be more popular among conservatives than liberals, recent polling showed former President Donald Trump expanding his national lead over Biden when Kennedy Jr. was included in the poll.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 38 percent of Americans currently prefer Trump, compared to 36 percent who support Biden and 26 percent who told pollsters they do not know or would vote for another candidate. When Kennedy Jr. was given as an option, Trump maintained 36 percent of support, but Biden’s fell to just 31 percent. Kennedy had the support of 16 percent of respondents.
Kennedy Jr. previously visited Arizona in August when he traveled to the southern border in Yuma. He later released a short documentary showing his findings.
“After visiting the border, I’ve come to understand that the open border policy is just a way of funding a multi-billion dollar drug and human trafficking operation for the Mexican drug cartels,” said Kennedy Jr. before pledging to secure the border as president. The National Sheriffs’ Association praised his documentary.
Others have noted Kennedy Jr.’s prior policy positions that seem to contradict his 2024 campaign messaging, including a 2014 Huffington Post article Kennedy Jr. wrote, in which he asserted that “climate deniers” should be jailed for their beliefs in a bid to save the environment.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr” by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.Â
