Kennedy, West to Remain on Michigan Ballot, State Supreme Court Rules
Lansing – Michigan State Supreme Court Decisions
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled this Monday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the former independent presidential candidate, will remain on the state’s ballot this fall despite suspending his campaign and endorsing Republican Donald Trump. Separately, the court chose not to consider an appeal seeking to disqualify independent presidential candidate Cornel West. This has resulted in the retention of a lower court order allowing West, a well-known liberal activist, author, and academic, to appear on the state’s Nov. 5 ballot.
Impact on the Presidential Race
The developments will significantly influence what is expected to be a close presidential race between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, say political experts. Kennedy, having been nominated for the presidency by the Natural Law Party in Michigan, failed to demonstrate his legal entitlement to have his name removed from the ballot, the Supreme Court explained.
Kennedy’s Decision and its Fallout
Democratic-nominated Justice Elizabeth Welch argued that Kennedy had waited for “more than four months” after his nomination before requesting the Secretary of State’s office to remove his name. She further mentioned that the Natural Law Party, who opposed Kennedy’s effort to withdraw, had no alternate candidate and thus faced significant prejudice.
Two dissenting Republican-nominated justices, David Viviano and Brian Zahra, argued that the court’s order against removing Kennedy’s name from the ballot could critically affect the tight presidential race between Trump and Harris.
Cornel West’s Position
In the case of Cornel West, the Michigan Supreme Court found no compelling reason to review the questions presented for his disqualification. Complaints associated with the notarization of his affidavit of identity and allegations of fraudulent petition were not significant enough for the court to seek disqualification.
Expert Opinions
John Sellek, CEO of the Michigan-based consulting firm Harbor Strategic Public Affairs, believes that the presence of Kennedy on the ballot could hurt Trump’s chances as young Democratic-leaning voters have been switching to Harris. Similarly, David Dulio, a political science professor at Oakland University, says that West’s presence on the ballot might disadvantage Harris.
Natural Law Party Stands to Lose
Kennedy’s decision to drop his campaign and endorse Trump led to a legal battle about his name’s removal from the ballot in battleground states. Doug Dern, chairman of the Natural Law Party in Michigan, insisted on keeping Kennedy’s name on the ballot. He argued that if Kennedy’s name doesn’t stay on the ballot, the Natural Law Party could face dire consequences, potentially being “greatly harmed if not destroyed.”
An important and contentious election is therefore set to be influenced not just by the two major party candidates, but also by the decisions regarding third-party candidates like Kennedy and West. The state of Michigan will certainly be a key battleground in this unfolding drama.
