BREAKING: Appeals Courts Issue Game-Changing Rulings For Trump In 2 Swing States

Two appeals courts issued rulings on the status of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy today, siding with his efforts to remove himself from the ballot in two hotly-contested swing states: North Carolina and Michigan.

In North Carolina, the Court of Appeals ruled that Kennedy’s name must be removed from the general election ballot, a move that comes after Kennedy ended his third-party presidential bid to back former President Donald Trump. The ruling has already delayed the mailing of absentee ballots, which were scheduled to be sent out today. Due to the court’s decision, state election officials will now have to reprint ballots, causing delays in the state’s early voting process.

The situation in Michigan unfolded similarly. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that Kennedy’s name must be removed from the ballot. A three-judge panel overturned an earlier decision by the state’s Court of Claims that denied Kennedy’s request to withdraw his name from the general election ballot according to Bloomberg. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, had initially denied Kennedy’s withdrawal request, citing Michigan Election Law, but the appeals court disagreed, ruling in Kennedy’s favor.

 

In its decision, the Michigan court said that the state election law did not prohibit Kennedy’s withdrawal from the race. The court wrote, “We conclude that the absence of any statutory authority prohibiting his withdrawal gave plaintiff a clear legal right to have his name removed from the ballot.” The ruling also pointed out that while there are provisions in Michigan law restricting candidate withdrawal for certain offices, those provisions do not apply to presidential candidates.

Kennedy, who had garnered substantial support while running as an Independent, suspended his presidential campaign in August. He formally requested the removal of his name from the Michigan ballot shortly thereafter, a move he said was motivated by his decision to support Trump in the 2024 election. Despite opposition from the state’s election officials, Kennedy’s legal team argued that the law allowed him to withdraw from the race, ultimately securing victory in the appeals court.