North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) said this week that he would welcome independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy to the two planned debates between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden in June and September. The statement came amid speculation that Burgum could be on Trump’s shortlist for vice president.
Burgum said that it would be a good thing for Kennedy to participate in the debates. He said that the debates would “expose” Kennedy’s positions.
He said that he believed Trump said that if Kennedy qualified for the debate, he should be included.
“But it’ll be a great opportunity to expose him as the Green New Deal spending, liberal Democrat that he is, and President Trump versus two Democrats, I think American people would enjoy watching that,” said Burgum in a recent interview.
The Trump campaign has been increasingly criticizing Kennedy. At the weekend NRA event, Trump called on gun owners not to back the independent candidate. Trump called him a part of the “radical left.”
Kennedy has argued that he qualifies to participate in the debates.
Despite the candidate’s arguments, both the Trump and Biden campaigns reportedly agreed to exclude Kennedy.
Despite the statement, Kennedy does not yet have the 15% national and ballot access to participate in the debates.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he’s the only one who qualifies for presidential debatehttps://t.co/M1AZKsHWYN pic.twitter.com/wbZNG7fKIE
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) May 20, 2024
Burgum has shown significant support for the former president as he weighs his potential running mate. The governor went to the New York courthouse where Trump is standing trial last week. Burgum briefly led a campaign for the Republican nomination for president last year.
The North Dakota Gov. also spoke at a Trump rally in New Jersey earlier this month that the Trump campaign said may have attracted as many as 100,000 people. Trump has repeatedly complimented Burgum and hinted that he could play a major role in a second Trump administration.
Kennedy is facing an uphill battle against the two more established parties after seeking the Democratic Party nomination for president last year.
