Environmental lawyer and 2024 presidential hopeful, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has teased a “major announcement” in the upcoming weeks, sparking speculation that he may drop his bid to primary President Joe Biden as a Democrat and instead run for president as an independent or a third-party candidate. Kennedy announced an event in Philadelphia on October 9, where he expressed his belief in a path to victory and the potential for national transformation fueled by the goodness in the American people. The super PAC supporting Kennedy’s campaign has also conducted national polling to gauge his viability in a hypothetical three-person race against Biden and former President Donald Trump.
In a two-minute video announcing the event, Kennedy criticized corruption in government and on both sides of the aisle. He vowed to change the habits of American politics and addressed concerns about corruption overtaking the government. Kennedy’s controversial campaign has sought to challenge Biden and the Democratic Party, but it has struggled to gain traction. Despite polling indicating openness to alternatives to Biden, Kennedy only received 1% support in recent polling of Democratic-aligned voters. His campaign has also failed to gain traction with New Hampshire Democrats, with a CNN/University of New Hampshire poll showing Biden with 78% support compared to Kennedy’s 9%.
Nevertheless, Kennedy has attracted support from voters drawn to his views on Covid-19 and the coronavirus vaccine. As a longtime vaccine skeptic, he founded the Children’s Health Defense organization and has frequently promoted vaccine skepticism during his campaign. He presents himself as an outsider candidate aiming to root out corruption in both political parties as well as private corporations and asset management firms. Kennedy’s upcoming announcement is set against the backdrop of ongoing speculation about his potential path forward in the presidential race.