Robert F. Kennedy Jr. s campaign raised $2.6 million in May and had just over $6.4 million in cash on hand at the end of the month, according to new filings , a paltry sum compared to the fundraising juggernauts behind his two major competitors.

Kennedys independent presidential bid announced the tepid fundraising haul in Federal Election Commission filings Wednesday. The documents show his team spent $6.3 million in May as he worked to gain access to ballots around the country and appear at next weeks presidential debate on CNN .

About $2.7 million of that figure went to a consulting firm that specializes in ballot access.

Those efforts appeared to be in vain on Wednesday before a midnight deadline, with the network requiring candidates to appear on enough ballots to have a shot at winning the White House, as well as receive at least 15% in four national polls.