UPDATE (3:03 p.m. ET):
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed the suspension of his campaign. Although his name will still appear on the ballot in red and blue states, he will be removing his name from the ballot in the 10 competitive states. In those competitive states, he is encouraging his supporters to vote for Donald Trump.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
PHOENIX – Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the most prominent independent presidential candidate, has suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump, a move that could dramatically shift the dynamics of an already close presidential race. The announcement follows extensive negotiations between both campaigns.
Negotiations Behind the Scenes
The possibility of Kennedy endorsing Trump arguably overshadowed the Democratic National Convention, where party leaders celebrated, even as the potential impact of his endorsement loomed large.
Speculation and Statements from Kennedy’s Campaign
It appeared increasingly likely over the course of this week that Kennedy would drop out and endorse the former president. Multiple sources told ABC News on Wednesday that RFK Jr. planned to endorse Trump for president at a live press conference on Friday at 2 p.m. ET in Phoenix, Arizona.
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When asked about the reports, Kennedy neither confirmed nor denied the claim. A spokesperson for Kennedy’s campaign hinted earlier on Wednesday that the candidate would be addressing the “present historical moment” and outlining his “path forward” in his Friday remarks.
Hints of an Alliance from Nicole Shanahan
Speculation erupted after Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, mentioned the possibility of an alliance with Trump during an interview on Tuesday. Shanahan said that their campaign was drawing more support from Trump’s base than from Kamala Harris, raising concerns about inadvertently aiding a Harris victory by staying in the race.
“There’s two options that we’re looking at and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump, or we draw somehow more votes from Trump,” Shanahan said.
Aiming to Avoid the “Spoiler” Label
Shanahan, a billionaire attorney from Silicon Valley, emphasized that Kennedy campaign’s goal was not to act as a spoiler. “I did not put in tens of millions of dollars to be a spoiler candidate,” she said. “I put in tens of millions of dollars to win, to fix this country, to do the right thing. We don’t want to be a spoiler.”
The Current State of the Race
The latest RealClearPolitics polling average shows a razor-thin margin in the decisive battleground states. Trump currently holds narrow leads in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, while Harris leads in Wisconsin and Michigan by small margins.
So, what do you think? Do you believe Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s endorsement of Donald Trump will significantly impact the outcome of the 2024 presidential election? We welcome your thoughts in the comments below!
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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I am glad to hear this. As Bobby Kennedy Jr, stated recently his father and his uncle would not recognize today’s Democratic Party. I totally agree with him on this as I’m old enough to well remember President Kennedy whose is my favorite President going back to President Truman who had been in office for a just a few months when I was born. Although President Reagan was my favorite President of the Republican Party. I had hoped back in 1968 that his father would win the Democratic Nomination for President, but unfortunately fate intervened and it was not to be. I hope should Donald Trump be returned to the Presidency he will use Bobby Jr in an important position in his administration. We cannot afford the far left of Kamala Harris and her equally as left running mate to run the country. She is backpedaling on all of her far left beliefs which she’s had for a long time and trying to appear to be a moderate which never has been and never will be. This proves she is not a person of principle, just another professional opportunistic politician doing whatever it takes to gain power. She is more of a hypocriate and fraud then anything. It should be an interesting election season this year.
While this is always welcome news…never underestimate the power of evil. The left will stop at NOTHING to curb this race in their favor. The lies will become greater and the liberal media will sharpen their knives even more. This is no time to become complacent. The battle for this country will become harder as the deck is still stacked against Patriot America.
I think that RFK Jr might just have saved the Republic!
RFK, Jr. If you are put in position to clean house at the CDC, I would like to talk to you. I know what my husband went thru because of what the Dr.s & hospitals were told. Lies! Camille Gilliam
Trump knows who I am .