Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ruled out running as a Libertarian in the upcoming 2024 election, following speculation to the contrary.
During an interview in January, Mr. Kennedy said he regularly talked to Libertarian groups and felt “very comfortable with most of the values of the Libertarian Party.”
The Libertarian Party has a range of policies, including those that limit the size and scope of government, promote more civil liberties, and advocate non-interventionism. However, in recent media interviews, Mr. Kennedy confirmed he won’t be making a presidential bid with the party for the 2024 elections.
“I think we’re not gonna have any problems getting on the ballot ourselves, so we won’t be running libertarian,” he said.
A Kennedy Team spokesperson confirmed the decision on April 14, declaring that while Mr. Kennedy does agree with many of the Libertarian Party’s principles, he will remain an independent candidate as he has enough widespread support across the states and the capital.
“Mr. Kennedy has many areas of alignment with the Libertarian Party, including a strong stance on civil liberties and keeping the country out of foreign wars,” the spokesperson told The Hill.
“Mr. Kennedy, however, is not contemplating joining the Libertarian ticket. He is running as an Independent candidate and will be on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.”
Epoch Media Group has contacted the Kennedy Team for comment and confirmation.
RFK Jr. Confident He Will Appear on Ballots in All 50 States
Since announcing last October he was leaving the Democrat presidential primary and running as an Independent, Mr. Kennedy has said multiple times that he would appear on the general election ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
A presidential candidate hopeful has two avenues for ballot access, running as an independent candidate or as a party’s nominee. So far, Utah is the only state that has confirmed Mr. Kennedy is on the ballot for the 2024 election.
Mr. Kennedy is running under the “We the People” party in North Carolina, which he established earlier this year. The Kennedy campaign said it has collected 23,000 signatures in North Carolina, which is 10,000 more than required to appear on the presidential election ballot.
Mr. Kennedy could also be on the Iowa ballot after holding a convention in West Des Moines on Saturday. According to the Kennedy campaign, Iowa law allows independent presidential candidates to bypass the state’s standard requirement of 3,500 signatures by hosting a convention and identifying 500 eligible “electors” from at least 25 counties.
According to an April 13 press release, Mr. Kennedy surpassed the target with more than 650 eligible Iowa voters signing the assembly form.
“Thank you Iowa for showing up and getting me on the ballot in your state,” Mr. Kennedy said on Saturday.
“What an incredible day. I love your passion and commitment for reviving the American dream and restoring democracy to our great land.”
Mr. Kennedy has since said he is confident of replicating this result in all 50 states across the country. At this stage, the Iowa Secretary of State’s office has not yet confirmed the results or if Mr. Kennedy will appear on the ballot after the Saturday convention.
