The New York-based campaign official for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is making a pitch to Republican voters to support his independent presidential bid in order to help Donald Trump defeat Joe Biden in New York. Rita Palma, the Kennedy campaign’s state director in New York, has been advocating for efforts to put Kennedy on the ballot in New York to increase the chances of Trump winning the historically Democratic state. Palma argues that the presence of Kennedy on the ballot could shake up the election and potentially prevent Biden from winning.
Palma’s comments have sparked controversy, with the Biden campaign stating that Kennedy’s campaign is a spoiler that could benefit Trump in the November election. In a video of her presentation to Republican voters, Palma outlined strategies for supporting Kennedy and blocking Biden from winning the presidency. She urged attendees to collect signatures for Kennedy, support Trump in Pennsylvania, and vote for Kennedy as a way to shake up the election and potentially influence the outcome in favor of the Republicans.
Despite promoting Kennedy to Republican attendees, Palma also invited members of the audience to sign petitions to put Kennedy on New York’s ballot, regardless of whether they plan to vote for him. She emphasized the importance of supporting the democratic process and potentially removing Biden from traditionally Democratic states. Palma’s messaging on social media encouraged Republicans in New York and other Democratic-leaning states to make their red votes count by supporting Kennedy over Biden.
The Kennedy campaign sees obtaining ballot access in New York as a critical step towards qualifying for the ballot in all 50 states and Washington, DC. They have designated New York as a priority for ballot access, with organizers working in all 62 counties in the state to gather the required 45,000 valid signatures in the six-week window between April 16 and May 28. Despite facing opposition from Democrats and Biden allies, the Trump campaign has largely ignored Kennedy’s candidacy, with Trump himself expressing support for Kennedy’s run.
Overall, the messaging from the Kennedy campaign field organizer highlights the campaign’s efforts to attract support from Republicans and shake up the election in favor of Trump. Palma’s strategy of supporting Kennedy as a way to potentially block Biden and influence the election outcome has drawn criticism from Democrats, who view it as a calculated tactic to benefit Trump. As the campaign progresses, the impact of Kennedy’s independent bid on the presidential race remains to be seen, especially in critical states like New York.
