Robert F. Kennedy Jr. convenes hundreds in Iowa to try for access to November ballot

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched a one-day blitz Saturday to gain access to Iowa’s presidential ballot as an independent candidate. Whether he succeeded is an outstanding question.

Kennedy attempted to qualify by holding a convention with at least 500 eligible Iowa voters representing at least 25 counties. Before adjourning the convention Saturday, chair Dave Owen announced that 686 delegates representing more than 35 counties in Iowa were in attendance, figures that could not immediately be verified.

Kennedy and his allies are working to secure a ballot line in all 50 states as they mount a bid that has worried allies of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump about losing enough votes to swing the election. So far, Utah is the only state that has confirmed he is on the ballot.

A spokesperson with the Iowa secretary of state’s office confirmed before Saturday’s event that the office had been contacted by the Kennedy campaign and responded by providing this year’s publicly available guide for candidates.

As people shuffled into a music venue Saturday, announcements from campaign staffers rang out over the speakers. The audience was told there were 300 people at 2:36 p.m. Central time; 400 about 20 minutes later. At 3:08 p.m., a staffer announced they had exceeded 500 people.

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