US Presidential Debate D-7... "Candidate Kennedy Junior Likely to Lag Behind"

Deadline for Debate Participation Requirements by Midnight on the 20th
One Poll and Electorate Quota Not Met
"Unfair Conditions from the Start" Legal Action Also Announced

Robert Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who declared his run for the U.S. presidential election this November and caused a stir by recording a support rate of 15%, is unlikely to participate in the presidential debate.

On the 19th (local time), The Washington Post (WP) reported that, based on a survey of state election officials, Kennedy Jr. is expected to fail to meet the qualification requirements for the presidential debate by the midnight deadline on the 20th. CNN, which is hosting the presidential debate on the 27th, previously set the debate participation criteria as achieving a support rate of at least 15% in at least four polls certified by CNN and being listed on enough state ballots to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Kennedy Jr.'s campaign has announced on its website that he has access to ballots in 23 states holding a total of 310 electoral votes. However, it is known that only nine states have officially approved Kennedy Jr.'s ballot access. CNN stated, "Simply applying does not guarantee that his name will appear on the ballot in any state," and emphasized, "Kennedy Jr. has not met the criteria to be invited to the debate." Additionally, only three polls have shown Kennedy Jr. with over 15% support so far, meaning one more poll is needed to meet the requirement.

This U.S. presidential election has early on solidified into a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump. For Kennedy Jr., who needed to make his presence felt among voters through the presidential debate, this is a red light. Furthermore, financial pressure from running as an independent is increasing. Last month, Kennedy Jr. reignited his determination to complete the race by securing an additional $8 million (approximately 1 billion KRW) in campaign funds from his running mate Nicole Shanahan, but since then, donations have sharply declined, and it has been revealed that about 40% of the total campaign funds have already been spent.

Derek Muller, a professor at Notre Dame Law School, said, "If an independent candidate like Kennedy Jr. gets on the (presidential debate) stage, it would allow for more substantive discussions," and assessed, "In this election, which is considered the most disliked in history, having a third party join would definitely help evaluate whether the candidates have serious opinions on major issues." Recent joint polls by major foreign media and Ipsos showed that about 41% of registered voters support former President Trump, 39% support President Biden, and Kennedy Jr. received 10% of respondents' support.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The CNN-hosted presidential debate on the 27th will be the first public debate between President Biden and former President Trump since October 2020. According to detailed rules released by CNN on the 15th, the debate will be held in a studio without an audience, with the moderator positioned between the candidates facing each other. Candidates will face off with only a pen, paper, and a bottle of water, without aides or prior materials. The candidate who receives a question will have 2 minutes to respond and 1 minute to rebut. If a candidate exceeds the speaking time, a red light will flash.

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