Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who is known for his work in the environment and his concerns about vaccines, recently announced that he’s going to run for president as an independent. He was originally running to be the Democratic candidate, but he changed his mind.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s decision to run as an independent adds a twist to the 2024 presidential race. It’s expected to be a contest between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, from a famous Democratic family, didn’t have strong support in the Democratic primary, and many Republicans liked him more than Democrats did. It’s not clear if this Republican support will help him in the general election, where he’ll compete against Trump. Some supporters of both Biden and Trump are worried that Kennedy might take votes away from their candidates.
Biden’s supporters haven’t taken Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s primary campaign seriously, and they reacted to his independent run with an eye-roll emoji.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr made his announcement in Philadelphia, which is where the U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed. He hinted at a new slogan, “Declare your independence.”
Some of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s supporters don’t consider themselves Democrats or Republicans. They like him because they see him as a truth-teller who doesn’t act like a typical politician.
Others, like Brent Snyder, voted for Trump in the past but are looking for a change. They think the Republican Party is going in a direction they don’t like and believe the country needs someone to bring both sides together.
This announcement comes shortly after another activist, Cornel West, left the Green Party to run for president as an independent. A centrist group called No Labels is also working to get an independent candidate on the ballot.
Kennedy has accused the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of unfairly favoring other candidates in the primary. He was upset that the DNC chose not to hold debates between Biden and other candidates and that they picked South Carolina instead of Iowa or New Hampshire to hold the first primary.
Some people who share Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views and are on the far right have suggested that he should leave the Democratic Party. He has developed close relationships with far-right figures and has expressed distrust of COVID-19 vaccines, even though studies show they are safe and effective.
Kennedy’s organization, Children’s Health Defense, is currently involved in a lawsuit against several news organizations, including The Associated Press. They accuse these news outlets of violating antitrust laws by trying to combat misinformation about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines. Kennedy temporarily stepped back from the organization when he announced his presidential run, but he’s still listed as one of its attorneys in the lawsuit.