LANSING, Mich. (AP) 鈥� A Michigan judge ruled that . must remain on the November presidential ballot, dealing a blow to his crusade to strategically remove his ticket from the battleground state.
Kennedy in August. Since then, he has sought to withdraw his name in states 鈥� like Michigan 鈥� where the race could be close. At the same time, he is trying to where he is unlikely to make a difference between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kennedy filed a lawsuit Friday in Michigan's Court of Claims against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in an effort to withdraw his name. Michigan's election officials had previously rejected Kennedy's notice of withdrawal.
The Associated Press asked the secretary's office for comment on the Court of Claims order that came down Tuesday.
In a earlier in the day, Benson said under Michigan law, candidates who are nominated and accept a minor party鈥檚 nomination 鈥渟hall not be permitted to withdraw.鈥�
Kennedy argued in the lawsuit that his notice of withdrawal was timely and the electorate鈥檚 votes could be "diminished and rendered invalid鈥� if he remains on the ballot. He filed a similar lawsuit in on Friday, where he is trying to withdraw his name from the ballot.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Christopher P. Yates concluded that the secretary of state rightly rejected Kennedy鈥檚 request to be removed from the ballot.
鈥淓lections are not just games, and the Secretary of State (SOS) is not obligated to honor the whims of candidates for public office,鈥� Yates said in his opinion and order.
The Associated Press requested a comment from Kennedy's attorneys Tuesday.
election officials said last week that Kennedy must remain on the ballot there, rejecting his request request to withdraw.
Last week, a different Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that liberal independent candidate for president must remain on the ballot, an opinion welcomed by West's campaign.
Kennedy and West, prominent third-party candidates, are at the center of multiple legal and political battles across the country as Democrats and Republicans seek to use the impacts of third-party candidates who could take support from their opponents. Republicans allies in such as and Michigan have sought to keep West on the ballot amid Democratic fears he could siphon votes from Vice President Kamala Harris.
Isabella Volmert, The Associated Press
