RFK Jr says he is suspending, not terminating presidential campaign

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was not dropping out of the 2024 race, heavily criticizing the Democratic Party and media outlets.

Speaking in a live-streamed event from Phoenix on Aug. 23, Kennedy said he was “simply suspending” but not ending his campaign for the US presidency in 2024. He called on supporters to vote for him in November, suggesting that there was still a path to victory if Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump tied with 269 electoral college votes.

Kennedy said his name would “remain on the ballot in most states,” but he would remove himself in ten background states to avoid being a “spoiler” for either Harris or Trump. 

“In an honest system, I believe I would have won the election,” said Kennedy. “In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control, so I cannot in good conscience ask my staff and volunteers to keep working […]”

Many had expected the Independent candidate to publicly announce he was ending his campaign after he filed a statement of withdrawal with the Arizona Secretary of State on Aug. 22.

After launching his campaign initially as a Democrat in 2023, RFK Jr. made digital assets and blockchain technology a central issue. In addition to advocating for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), he argued against the US introducing a central bank digital currency and suggested putting the national budget on the blockchain.

This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.