Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally urged a Libertarian congressional candidate in Iowa to abandon his campaign in a closely contested House race, according to an audio recording obtained by a national newspaper. The conversation, which took place on June 11, reveals Kennedy’s role as an intermediary for the White House in an attempt to protect Republican control of the House of Representatives.
During the roughly 12-minute call, Kennedy told Rick Stewart, a Libertarian running in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, that he was acting as a “liaison” with the White House. He argued that a Democratic takeover of the House would undermine President Donald Trump’s agenda and suggested that Stewart could achieve more by stepping aside than by a “symbolic run” for office. Kennedy also hinted at potential rewards, saying, “I can’t go into specifics because there’s legal prohibitions about that. If it’s something that you want to talk about, you know, you and I can talk about specifics.”
The call was recorded by Stewart and shared with a major news outlet. It is at least the second such call Kennedy made to a Libertarian candidate in Iowa in June. Earlier, on June 8, Kennedy contacted Marco Battaglia, the Libertarian candidate in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, urging him to drop out as well. Both races are considered pivotal in determining which party controls the House after the midterm elections.
White House involvement and ethical concerns
According to sources briefed on the matter, Trump political adviser James Blair asked Kennedy to reach out to the Libertarian candidates because Blair believed they respected Kennedy. Blair, who recently took a leave from the White House to coordinate midterm political strategy, did not tell Kennedy to offer any specific inducements, one person said. However, government ethics experts have raised alarms about the legality and propriety of the calls.
Danielle Caputo, a lawyer with the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan voters’ rights group, said Kennedy should not have involved himself in congressional races. “The public should have the opportunity to make a decision on who they want to represent them. And government officials should not be tipping the scales, behind the scenes, in favor of a specific candidate by getting other candidates to drop out,” Caputo said. “At the end of the day, it’s the voter — and the public — who generally lose in that situation.”
The Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from using their official authority to influence elections, is at the center of the debate. Past cases, such as the 2023 reprimand of then-Health Secretary Xavier Becerra for advocating at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event for the election of a specific senator, show that even Cabinet officials can be held accountable. Then-special counsel Henry J. Kerner said at the time, “The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their official authority or influence to affect the outcome of an election.”
Stanley Brand, a lawyer and distinguished fellow at Penn State’s law school, noted that the Hatch Act does allow federal officials to endorse candidates if they are not on official duty or using official resources. But he added that Kennedy may have violated other criminal statutes, such as one that bars government employees from using their authority to interfere with federal elections, and another that prohibits promises of employment or benefits in exchange for political activity.
The political landscape in Iowa
Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District is rated as leaning Republican by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, but it remains a battleground that could determine control of the House. The White House is acutely aware that if Democrats reclaim a chamber of Congress, they will have the power to open investigations into Trump and his policies. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have already signaled plans to investigate Kennedy’s changes to vaccine policies and other controversial moves if they regain the majority.
In the call with Stewart, Kennedy referenced this possibility: “I don’t want to be fighting subpoenas for the next two years instead of improving America’s health. For me, you know, there’s an immediate pragmatic reason for this phone call.” Stewart, a 74-year-old businessman and former law enforcement officer, has run for office as a Libertarian before, winning more than 2% of the vote in previous Senate and gubernatorial races. He said he interpreted Kennedy’s words as an attempt at a quid pro quo, though no explicit offer was made.
“He was very careful about the words that he used, but the whole implication is: You help us, we’ll help you,” Stewart said. “They want to get me out because I might pick up 2 or 3 percent — and if I pick up 2 or 3 percent, they think it’ll come out of the Republican pocket.” Stewart has no intention of withdrawing from the race.
The 3rd District, where Battaglia was contacted, is rated as a toss-up. Battaglia said Kennedy “leaned on me slightly to drop out,” but he declined, invoking the memory of Kennedy’s father and uncle. “I don’t think your father and uncle would want me to drop out of the race,” Battaglia said he told the health secretary.
Libertarian Party dynamics and history
Libertarians have gained official party status in Iowa, thanks in part to Gary Johnson winning nearly 4% of the vote in the 2016 presidential election. The party advocates for issues such as marijuana decriminalization, marriage equality, and criminal justice reform. Stephanie Berlin, chair of the Libertarian Party in Iowa, said the party “gives a voice to voters who don’t see themselves reflected in either major party and serves as a check on a political system that too often assumes Americans only have two choices.”
Kennedy’s outreach to Libertarian candidates is ironic given his own history with the party. During his 2024 presidential campaign, he initially ran as a Democrat, then became an independent, and sought the Libertarian nomination but did not receive it. In August 2024, he endorsed Trump, who later appointed him to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Some Libertarians view Kennedy’s alliance with Trump as a betrayal of their principles.
In the June 11 call, Kennedy compared Stewart’s situation to his own decision to support Trump. “The question for you is not whether a Republican is going to solve any of the problems that you’re dealing with, that you’re concerned about. Or whether you may be able to solve more problems in a different position than going in and winning 3 or 4 percent of an election,” Kennedy said. Stewart, however, was not persuaded. He told the health secretary that he was skeptical a Republican would address the issues facing the district.
Stewart also revealed that earlier, the Republican nominee in the 2nd District, Joe Mitchell, had asked him to drop out. Mitchell’s campaign manager said the GOP candidate “would love to have the support of anyone” who could help defeat the Democrat. The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to questions about whether Kennedy’s calls were cleared by administration lawyers or how many similar calls he has made.
Iowa has become a bellwether state for the midterms, with Democrats eyeing the governor’s office and congressional seats. Rep. Randy Feenstra, a Trump-backed candidate for governor, lost his primary in June, while Democratic state auditor Rob Sand is seen as a potential force to boost downballot candidates. Amy Walter, editor in chief of the Cook Political Report, noted that Democratic gains in Iowa in 2006 and 2018 were key to their success in flipping the House during Republican presidencies.
For now, Stewart and Battaglia remain in their races, and Kennedy’s attempt to sway them appears to have failed. The situation underscores the ongoing tensions between the White House and third-party candidates, as well as the ethical boundaries that Cabinet officials must navigate. Whether any legal action will be taken remains uncertain, but the recorded call provides a rare window into the behind-the-scenes efforts to shape the electoral landscape.
Source: The Washington Post News