RFK Jr. officially announces an independent presidential run

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officially announces an independent presidential run calling it ‘painful’ to leave the Democratic Party as his own family members condemn his decision as ‘deeply saddening’

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now running for president as an independent and not a Democrat 
• Kennedy announced the move steps away from Independence Hall in Philadelphia Monday 
• He said it was ‘painful’ to leave the Democratic Party, the party long associated with his politically powerful family  

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced an independent presidential bid Monday steps away from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, a move that was swiftly condemned by several members of his famous family.

Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaxxer, first announced a presidential bid in April – saying then that he planned to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in a nearly two-hour long speech in Boston. 

On Monday, alongside his actress wife Cheryl Hines, he changed his tune – saying he wanted independence from the two political parties. 

‘I’m here to declare myself an independent candidate,’ Kennedy said in front of several hundred supporters, whose cheers broke up his announcement. ‘Candidate for president of the United States of America.’ 

He said he didn’t come to the decision ‘lightly.’ ‘It’s very painful for me to let go of the party of my uncles, my father, my grandfather and both of my great-grandfathers,’ Kennedy said. 

Several members of Kennedy’s politically famous family – including Rory, Kerry, Joseph P. Kennedy II and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend – issued a statement saying they were against his independent bid, calling the move ‘deeply saddening.’ 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced an independent presidential bid Monday steps away from Independence Hall in Philadelphia

Actress Cheryl Hines introduces her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced an independent presidential bid from Philadelphia Monday 

Kennedy is the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968, and the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. 

One supporter brought a hand-drawn sign that read, ‘I want Camelot!’ a reference to Kennedy’s political pedigree.

That being said, in his speech Kennedy railed against the ‘smug elite.’ 

The newly-minted independent pointed out the unpopularity of the 2024 race’s two frontrunners: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. 

‘Three-quarters of Americans believe that President Biden is too old to govern effectively,’ he said. ‘President Trump faces multiple civil and criminal trials.’

‘Both of them have favorability ratings that are deep in negative terrority,’ he added. 

‘My intention is to spoil it for both of them,’ Kennedy later said.

In his Monday remarks, Kennedy advertised himself as the candidate of American reunification. 

‘We are told today that our country is hopelessly divided. The most hateful voices, of course, are always the loudest,’ he said. 

He added that there are a ‘lot of quiet Americans.’ 

‘They want us to get along,’ he said, adding ‘getting us to hate each other is part of the scam.’ 

Kennedy’s announcement started with a snafu, after the candidate, wearing a hot mic, was introduced by his wife, only to realize his speech wasn’t with him. 

‘I need my speech,’ Kennedy could be heard saying. 

Biden had a 51-point lead over Kennedy in the most recent Democratic primary poll, with him never getting over 

However allies of both Biden and former Trump have expressed anxiety behind closed doors about third-party challengers. 

NBC reported last month that Hillary Clinton warned Biden in a pull-aside while she was visiting the White House to take part in the Praemium Imperiale Laureate ceremony that the president needed to take third-party challengers seriously.

Already, Cornel West, a prominent academic who was previously politically aligned with progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, is running to Biden’s left – and is expected to appear on the November 2024 ballot as the Green Party candidate. 

The Associated Press reported Monday that those conversations have happened in Trumpworld too. 

A shocking Quinnipiac University poll released last week showed that Kennedy was much more popular among Republicans than Democrats – and thus an independent Kennedy bid could potentially pull away support more from Trump than Biden.

Forty-eight percent of Republicans held a favorable view of Kennedy versus just 14 percent of Democrats. 

On the flip side, 57 percent of Democrats held an unfavorable view of Kennedy, while just 18 percent of Republicans said they didn’t like him.

Independents viewed Kennedy evenly –  37 percent viewed him favorably, while 37 percent viewed him unfavorably. 

A September NBC News poll showed bad news for Biden when third-party hopefuls were factored in. 

The president was tied with Trump at 46 percent support when just the two of them were in the race. 

Campaign manager, former Rep. Dennis Kucinich (left), appeared with his wife Elizabeth at Monday’s event in Philadelphia 

When a libertarian candidate, a Green Party candidate and a moderate, No Labels candidate were added as choices, Biden lost to Trump 36 percent to 39 percent. 

In that scenario a libertarian candidate would take 5 percent of the electorate, a No Labels candidate would siphon away 5 percent and a Green Party candidate would get the support of 4 percent, the poll found. 

The New York Times reported last month on a previously undisclosed meeting that Kennedy had in July with Angela McArdle, the chair of the Libertarian Party, stoking speculation that he could appear as their candidate on the ballot. 

Ballot access will be Kennedy’s biggest challenge, as presidential candidates must meet a number of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.  

Some Trump supporters had an idea of how Kennedy could appear on the ballot. 

When Kennedy appeared at the Iowa State Fair in August on the same day as Trump, a number of the ex-president’s supporters flocked to see the then-Democrat speak. 

‘Trump-Kennedy!’ one woman yelled – as Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican nomination, currently doesn’t have a running mate. 

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