Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. formally asked the secretary of state’s office to withdraw his name from the Georgia ballot Tuesday following the suspension of his campaign.
Kennedy announced at a Phoenix news conference last week he would pull out of swing states and endorse former President Donald Trump.
Kennedy’s request comes after an administrative law judge recommended Monday that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger deny Kennedy’s petition to appear on the ballot because he used what Democrats called a “sham” New York residency on his paperwork, while he was actually living in Los Angeles. Senior Judge Michael Malihi also recommended Raffensperger reject applications from three other independent and third-party presidential candidates for improperly submitting their nomination petitions.
It once seemed Georgia’s ticket could have more than a half-dozen candidates. If Raffensperger agrees with the judge’s recommendations, there will only be three: Democrat Kamala Harris, Republican Trump and Libertarian Chase Oliver.
President Joe Biden beat Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes in 2020. The narrower presidential field in Georgia could shift the outcome in November.
Raffensperger is expected to make a final decision soon on who will appear at the top of the ticket.
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