Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. approached Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign last week to discuss the possibility of serving in her administration if she wins the presidential race in November, two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.
Harris and his advisers did not respond to an offer of a meeting or express interest in the proposition, one of the sources said.
“No one is going to negotiate with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who sought a job with Donald Trump in exchange for support,” the source said.
Stefanie Spear, a spokeswoman for Kennedy’s campaign, told CBS News in a statement Wednesday that “Mr. Kennedy is prepared to meet with leaders of both parties to discuss the possibility of a national unity government.”
The Washington Post was the first to report the attempted meeting.
Although Kennedy continues its efforts With running for office in every state and several upcoming campaign events scheduled, the independent candidate told The Post in an interview Wednesday that he thought it was a “mistake” for the Harris campaign not to attend the meeting.
“I think it’s a strategic mistake on their part. That’s my view,” Kennedy said. “I think they should look at every opportunity. I think it’s going to be a very close race.”
The attempt to arrange a meeting with Harris follows an in-person discussion between Kennedy and former President Donald Trump in July at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
After his meeting with Trump on July 15, Kennedy wrote on social media, “There are a lot of rumors circulating about my meeting this morning with President Trump. Our main topic was national unity, and I hope to meet with Democratic leaders on that as well. No, I am not dropping out of the race.”
Kennedy is running as an independent in a growing number of states: Alaska, Delaware, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. He is also running in California as the candidate of the American Independent Party, and in Hawaii, on his We the People ticket. Together, these states total just over 200 electoral votes.
But New York rejects Kennedy access to the ballot, based on his residence claim.
— Nidia Cavazos and Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.
and Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.
