Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, has officially withdrawn from the race in Arizona, according to a statement released by Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes on August 22.
RFK Jr.’s campaign, along with his running mate Nicole Shanahan, submitted voluntary withdrawal paperwork, which was received by officials at 6:02 p.m. local time. Additionally, eleven presidential electors also withdrew voluntarily.
This surprising move came just two days after Fontes confirmed that Kennedy had successfully gathered enough signatures to be included on the ballot. The campaign had submitted a total of 118,752 signatures, surpassing the required 42,303.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the 70-year-old son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, began his presidential campaign as a Democrat but later decided to run as an independent after facing obstacles from the Democratic party. Several lawsuits were filed by Democrats in an attempt to prevent Kennedy from appearing on the ballot in various states.
Currently, Kennedy is involved in a trial in New York regarding his residency status. A judge has recently ruled that he falsely claimed to be a New York resident, leading to his removal from the New York ballot. Kennedy’s appeal is ongoing in relation to this decision.
Nicole Shanahan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate, expressed her belief that Friday’s events will have a significant impact on American election history. However, Kennedy himself has neither confirmed nor denied speculations about dropping out of the race.
At the time of this statement, Kennedy’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment.