RFK Jr. withdraws from Arizona ballot as questions swirl over potential Trump alliance

PHOENIX (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew from the Arizona ballot Thursday night, a day before he and Donald Trump were set to appear miles apart in the Phoenix area, amid growing speculation that Kennedy might abandon his independent bid for president and endorse the Republican nominee.

According to his campaign, Kennedy is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. ET in Phoenix “on the current historical moment and the path forward.” Hours later, Trump will hold a rally in nearby Glendale.

Mr Trump, who was campaigning Thursday in southern Arizona on the US-Mexico border, said there were “no plans” for Mr Kennedy to appear with him on Friday. He said, however, that they would be in the same city at the same time.

On Thursday night, Trump’s campaign made an unusual announcement, suggesting that he would be joined by “a special guest” at his Glendale event.

Hours later, when he called Fox News after the Democratic National Convention ended, Trump said of Kennedy: “I don’t know if he’s going to support me.”

But he noted that they were going to be in the same state and said: “It is possible that we will meet tomorrow and discuss it.”

Representatives for the Trump campaign did not respond to messages asking whether Kennedy would be the guest, and Kennedy’s campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on whether he would join Trump.

Kennedy’s withdrawal in Arizona, confirmed by a spokesman for the secretary of state, comes less than a week after Kennedy submitted far more signatures than the required number to appear on the ballot. His critics have raised questions about the validity of some of the signatures after a pro-Kennedy super PAC was heavily involved in his efforts to collect them, potentially violating rules prohibiting coordination between candidates and independent political groups.

But on Thursday, Kennedy, his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, and all of their constituents submitted notarized letters dated that day withdrawing from the race in the state.

A year ago, some would have thought it inconceivable that Kennedy — a member of the most illustrious family in Democratic politics — would collaborate with Trump to prevent a Democrat from reaching the White House. Even in recent months, Kennedy has accused Trump of betraying his supporters, while Trump has criticized Kennedy as “the most radical left-wing candidate in the race.”

But both campaigns have been heaping compliments and engaging in behind-the-scenes discussions in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. Both campaigns have spent months accusing Democrats of using the justice system as a weapon to their advantage. And both have publicly hinted that they might be willing to join forces, with the shared goal of limiting Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s chances of being elected.

Last month, during the Republican National Convention, Kennedy’s son posted and quickly deleted a video showing a phone call between Kennedy and Trump, in which the former president appeared to be trying to convince Kennedy to side with him.

Talks between the two camps have continued, with close Trump allies quietly pressuring Kennedy to drop out of the race and back the Republican nominee, according to a person familiar with the efforts who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

Trump told CNN on Tuesday that he would “love” to have the support of Kennedy, whom he called a “brilliant guy.” He also said he would “certainly” be open to the idea of ​​Kennedy playing a role in his administration if Kennedy steps down and supports him.

Shanahan also openly suggested on a podcast this week that her campaign could “go away immediately and join forces with Donald Trump.” While she clarified that she is not in talks with Trump personally, she did entertain the idea that Kennedy could join the Trump administration as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I think Bobby would be great in a role like that,” Shanahan said. “I fully support him. I have high hopes.”

Kennedy, the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, did not reveal the reason for his remarks Friday, but they come as momentum in his campaign has waned.

Kennedy Jr. initially ran in the 2024 presidential race as a Democrat but left the party last fall to run as an independent. He has built an unusually strong base for a third-party candidacy, fueled in part by anti-establishment voters and vaccine skeptics who have followed his anti-vaccine work since the COVID-19 pandemic. But he has since faced strained campaign finances and mounting legal challenges, including a recent ruling by a New York judge that he should not appear on the state ballot because he listed a “fictitious” address on nominating petitions.

Recent polls put his support at around 10%. And it’s not clear he’ll get even that much in a general election, because third-party candidates often fall short of early polls when voters cast their ballots.

There is some evidence that keeping Kennedy in the race would hurt Trump more than Harris. According to a July AP-NORC poll, Republicans were significantly more likely than Democrats to have a favorable view of Kennedy. And those who had a positive impression of Kennedy were significantly more likely to also have a favorable view of Trump (52%) than of Harris (37%).

In an interview with MSNBC at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday, Harris communications director Michael Tyler said his campaign would welcome Kennedy voters if the independent candidate withdrew.

For voters who see Trump as a threat, are looking for a new path forward or want “the government out of their personal decisions, there is a place for you in the Kamala Harris campaign,” Tyler said.

For Trump, Friday will mark the end of a week of visits to key states in which he sought to distract from Democrats’ celebration of Harris’ presidential nomination in Chicago.

He traveled to Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina and the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona for events focusing on his policy proposals on the economy, crime and safety, national security and the border. He will end the week Friday with stops in Las Vegas and Glendale.

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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York, Michelle L. Price in Phoenix, Meg Kinnard in Chicago and Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report.

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