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Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is racing against time to secure his spot in the June 27 presidential debate.
With less than 24 hours left until the qualification deadline, a complaint he lodged with the U.S. agency overseeing election policy might be his last hope.
The debate, hosted by CNN, will feature President Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump. The deadline for candidates to qualify is midnight Wednesday. Adding to the challenge, federal business will be largely stalled due to the Juneteenth holiday.
In late May, Mr. Kennedy filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that CNN’s debate setup constitutes an illegal campaign contribution to Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump.
According to Mr. Kennedy, CNN imposed “different criteria” for him to participate. The complaint demands that the FEC take action by Thursday and prevent the debate from proceeding unless it complies with the Federal Election Campaign Act.
The situation is unusual. Since televised presidential debates began in 1960, news organizations like CNN and ABC have rarely had full control over the terms and conditions of debates between the leading candidates. Typically, these debates have been overseen by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
CNN has set specific criteria for candidates to qualify for the debate. They must score at least 15% in four national polls and appear on enough state ballots to win 270 electoral votes. CNN has stated that while it’s “not impossible” for Mr. Kennedy to qualify, he has not yet met all the criteria.
The independent candidate has reached the 15% polling threshold in three qualifying polls and is eligible for 89 electoral votes, having secured ballot access in six states. But Mr. Kennedy claims he is now on the ballot in nine states, totaling 144 electoral votes. He has also gathered enough signatures to be on the ballot in 14 additional states, representing 166 more electoral votes, the campaign says.
But The Washington Post on Wednesday wrote that Mr. Kennedy is not on the ballot in several states where he has claimed he is and subsequently won’t meet the threshold needed to qualify for the debate.
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