A judge in Michigan ruled Tuesday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. must remain on the ballot in the key swing state. The independent candidate had filed a lawsuit asking to be removed as part of his plan to withdraw from battleground states where he might siphon support from former President Donald Trump.
In his decision, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Christopher Yates wrote, "Elections are not just games, and the Secretary of State... is not obligated to honor the whims of candidates for public office." He added that Kennedy's request to withdraw "at this late date is just a self-serving act that would cause harm to the party that nominated him by leaving the party with no candidate at the top of the ticket."
Kennedy qualified for the ballot as a candidate for the Natural Law Party. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson posted on X on Tuesday, "Candidates who are nominated and accept a minor party's nomination 'shall not be permitted to withdraw.'" Her reply came in response to a post by former New York City mayor and Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, who accused her of engaging in "election interference."
Kennedy's efforts to take himself off the ballot in Wisconsin and North Carolina have also hit a snag. Wisconsin election officials ruled last week that Kennedy will stay on the ballot, while in North Carolina, Kennedy has filed a lawsuit against the state's elections board which also denied his request. The board said it was too late for Kennedy to withdraw since ballots were already being printed.
Kennedy was, however, able to successfully remove himself from ballots in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.