Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former President Donald Trump were unable to secure the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination, getting eliminated in the first round of votes on Sunday.
What Happened: Kennedy’s attempt to secure the Libertarian Party’s nomination was swiftly dismissed, reported The Hill. He managed to gain the support of just 19 delegates, which equates to roughly 2% of the vote, during the party’s nomination process at its Washington convention.
The delegate who nominated Kennedy faced considerable opposition from the crowd. Despite previously stating that he had no intentions of seeking the party’s nomination, Kennedy addressed the convention on Friday, using his speech to criticize Trump.
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Trump, who was also present at the convention, performed even worse in the nomination process, securing a mere two write-in votes. His campaign was forced into a write-in after the party deemed him ineligible due to incorrect paperwork. One delegate humorously wrote in adult film star Stormy Daniels, a key figure in a criminal trial against Trump.
Even though Kennedy is seen as an underdog against Trump and President Joe Biden, recent polling suggests he could potentially disrupt Trump’s campaign in November. The former Democrat currently holds about 8% support in the average of polls conducted by Hill/Decision Desk HQ, where Trump leads Biden by just over 1%.
Why It Matters: Prior to the nomination vote, both Kennedy and Trump made headlines at the Libertarian convention. Kennedy criticized Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, accusing him of surrendering and causing the disappearance of fundamental rights almost overnight.
On the other hand, Trump’s promise to commute the sentence of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht was met with boos and jeers.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
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