CNN
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Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign has reached out to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign to set up a meeting about a possible role in her administration if he drops out of the race and endorses her, a Kennedy campaign official and a Democratic official told CNN.
The Kennedy team’s approach came last week, and no meeting between the two candidates took place, Kennedy’s campaign official told CNN.
The attempted meeting comes weeks after Kennedy and former President Donald Trump met in person at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where the two men discussed a possible role for Kennedy in a potential Trump administration in exchange for an endorsement.
Kennedy’s campaign also tried to contact intermediaries for Ron Klain, former White House chief of staff to President Joe Biden, but those efforts were unsuccessful, Kennedy’s campaign official said.
As Kennedy continues to make progress on the ballot, hosting campaign events and making media appearances, the campaign manager told CNN he remains open to dropping out of the race if he feels he can serve the country in another way.
Kennedy campaign spokeswoman Stefanie Spear said in a statement to CNN that Kennedy “is willing to meet with leaders of both parties to discuss the possibility of a unity government.”
CNN has reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.
The Washington Post was the first to report this information.
Democrats have vigorously fought Kennedy’s campaign since the beginning of the year, running ads calling Kennedy a “spoiler” and highlighting his ties to Republican megadonor Timothy Mellon, who has contributed to an outside group supporting Kennedy and another group supporting Trump. The Democratic National Committee and a super PAC run by Democratic allies have filed objections to Kennedy’s ballot access in several states.
“No one is going to negotiate with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who sought employment with Donald Trump in exchange for support,” DNC spokesman Matt Corridoni said in a statement to CNN on Wednesday.
