Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed optimism Wednesday about getting on the ballot across the U.S. but said it likely cost his campaign about $15 million.
Asked on NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live” about the challenge of getting on state ballots as an independent, Kennedy said, “We’re going to be able to get on the ballot in 50 states and the District of Columbia.”
“It’s going to be harder for us. President Biden and President Trump get on for free; they’re all automatically on. It will probably cost us around $15 million dollars, maybe more, to get on the ballot, but we’re going to be able to do it,” Kennedy continued.
Earlier Wednesday, Kennedy announced he successfully qualified for his first state ballot, having met a requirement of 1,000 signatures in Utah. Kennedy’s spokesperson, Stefanie Spear, said she expects Arizona could be next, The Associated Press reported.
Kennedy, an environmental attorney, author and anti-vaccine advocate, has criticized the various obstacles of ballot access for candidates not running under a major political party.
“I think in the long run, it’s probably going to be advantageous for us, because … we’re going to have a better ground game when the election comes than anybody else, because this is forcing us to build an army in all 50 states,” Kennedy said Wednesday.
He said his team had a “very, very narrow window” of time in Utah, but was able to pick up double the amount of signatures needed for the ballot.
“We had about a week, and we got double the amount of signatures that we needed in a snow storm — snow and sleet — when they had to get people go into public places and persuade people to take their gloves off,” Kennedy said.
American Values, a super PAC backing Kennedy, has vowed to spend up to $15 million to help get him ballots access in crucial states, per the AP.
Kennedy, the son of former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, became well-known during the COVID-19 pandemic for spreading anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.
Originally running for the Democratic presidential nomination, Kennedy in October switched to an independent bid in hopes of boosting his chances at the White House. He has been a frequent critic of the Democratic National Committee, expressing frustration at its decision not to hold debates with President Biden, the widely expected nominee for the 2024 ticket.
Polling has consistently pointed to the general election likely being a 2020 rematch, with Biden and former President Trump maintaining strong leads in their respective parties.
The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s polling index shows the two political rivals neck and neck, with Trump holding a 1.2 point lead over the incumbent.