A representative for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign admitted in a meeting with New York Republicans what some Democrats have long suspected — that Kennedy’s independent bid is designed to thwart Joe Biden.
“The only way for him, for Bobby, to shake it up and to get rid of Biden is if he’s on the ballot in every state, including New York,” Kennedy campaign representative Rita Palmer told a group of New York Republicans, per CNN, which referred to Palmer as the campaign’s New York state director. “The Kennedy voter and the Trump voter, our mutual enemy is Biden.”
Palmer also reportedly told the group the campaign’s aim is to deny Biden 270 electoral votes so that Congress will ultimately decide the election in favor of Trump. (If no candidate reaches a majority of Electoral College votes, the presidential election is decided in the U.S. House of Representatives; the U.S. Senate would get to pick a vice president.)
Kennedy, according to his own campaign, has only managed to get on the ballot in a handful of states, all of them winner-take-all, meaning Kennedy would need to outright beat Trump or Biden to get any Electoral College votes. Palmer was making the case to New York Republicans that, with Kennedy on the ballot, Trump could potentially win the historically blue state.
Kennedy could muck up the election for Biden or Trump by siphoning enough votes to create an unlikely Electoral College tie between the two major party nominees.
Biden’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kennedy’s campaign has sought to downplay the role of Palmer in the campaign, referring to her as a ballot access consultant who was not involved with electoral strategy nationally.
“This was not a campaign event. Palma was speaking as a private citizen and her statements in no way reflect the strategy of the Kennedy campaign, which is to win the White House with votes from former Trump and Biden supporters alike,” the campaign said in a statement.
Democrats argue that Kennedy’s campaign is a spoiler for Biden, and top Democratic groups are dedicating significant resources to combating the threat they believe Kennedy’s campaign poses.
Trump had once welcomed Kennedy into the race, but in a sign that Kennedy’s candidacy is now a wild card for both candidates, Trump is lashing out at him. Last month, Trump called Kennedy “the most Radical Left Candidate in the race, by far.”