Democrats are fighting to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wisconsin’s ballot, even though he has requested to withdraw. His legal team has appealed a recent decision from a Dane County judge that requires Kennedy to remain on the November ballot, despite his suspension of his campaign and endorsement of President Donald Trump. This ruling has sparked a fierce legal battle over the manipulation of third-party candidates.
The judge ruled that state law prevents candidates from dropping out after filing nomination papers. Kennedy’s attorneys argue that this unfairly targets him as a third-party candidate, and the real aim is to divert conservative votes away from Trump in crucial battleground states like Wisconsin.
The appeal argues that Kennedy is being treated differently from major party candidates, pointing out that Joe Biden was allowed to withdraw from the race earlier this year and was replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris. Kennedy’s legal team claims that the system is rigged against independent candidates, making it harder for them to exit races, unlike their Democrat and Republican counterparts.
Overseas ballots are expected to be mailed soon, leaving the appeal court with little time to act. Kennedy’s legal team is pushing for an injunction to block his name from appearing on the ballot.
Democrats, however, are using every tool at their disposal to keep Kennedy in the race. Their strategy is clear: keeping RFK Jr. on the ballot could take votes from Trump, potentially swinging the state in their favor. In another twist, Democrats have also worked to remove Green Party candidates from the ballot to give Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) an edge.
The battle over ballot access shows the Democratic Party’s aggressive tactics, even if it means compromising Kennedy’s rights in pursuit of political gains.
