Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was eliminated in the first round of voting for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination during their convention on May 26. Despite being nominated unexpectedly, Kennedy received support from only 19 delegates, or 2.07%, and was quickly ousted.
The nomination ultimately went to Chase Oliver after seven rounds of voting, CNN reports. Kennedy’s candidacy faced boos from delegates, and he urged Libertarians to support his campaign even though they might not agree on all issues. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who spoke at the convention and was loudly booed, was disqualified from consideration as he failed to submit the necessary paperwork. Trump received six write-in votes, while adult film actress Stormy Daniels received one vote as a rebuke against him, ABC News reports.
Following his elimination, Kennedy posted on social media expressing his gratitude for the unexpected nomination attempt and emphasized the need for independents and third parties to unite against the two-party system. Although Kennedy did not originally intend to seek the Libertarian nomination, he had previously met with Libertarian officials to discuss shared beliefs. Some delegates, however, felt Kennedy was using the party for his gain without respecting its values.
“What an unexpected honor to wake up this morning to a groundswell in the Libertarian Party seeking to nominate me. I would have accepted the nomination if offered because independents and third parties need to unite right now to reclaim our country from the corrupt two-party system,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, remarked on the relevance and potential success of collaborating with the Libertarian Party, though she did not speak at the convention following Kennedy’s elimination. Despite setbacks, Kennedy continues to campaign on platforms appealing to Libertarians, including free-market approaches, anti-war stances, and support for constitutional rights, positioning himself against both Trump and President Biden in the upcoming election.
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