RFK Jr. declares Independent 2024 Presidential Run, Gains Momentum with Millions in Funding
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental attorney, anti-vaccination activist, and son of the former senator, announced on Monday in Philadelphia that he will compete for president as an independent rather than as a candidate of the Democratic Party.
Kennedy looked to portray himself as a unifier and a voice for voters who are tired of partisan divisions and animosity in the United States, calling them an obstacle to the nation’s progress.
“Everywhere I go, including airports, hotels, and the street, people approach me. And they remind me that this nation is prepared for a change that will make history… I am present today.
Kennedy told the several hundred people gathered in front of the National Constitution Center, “I’m here to declare myself an independent candidate.”
American Values 2024, a superPAC supporting the candidate, has raised $17 million, according to co-founder Tony Lyons, an increase from the $10 million reported in July. He anticipates an additional $10 million after the announcement, he stated.
Kennedy’s announcement complicates a 2024 contest that is trending toward a rematch between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican opinion-leader former President Donald Trump. Both continue to be unpopular with a substantial portion of the American public.
Kerry Kennedy, Rory Kennedy, and Joseph Kennedy II denounced Bobby Kennedy’s candidacy in a statement released on Monday. The news we received today is profoundly upsetting for us.”
According to political strategists, Kennedy’s combination of wealthy supporters, a well-known name, and a lack of enthusiasm for Trump or Biden could give his campaign heft.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released last week, he could garner the support of approximately one in seven U.S. voters and steal ballots from both Biden and Trump. Third-party candidates have not prevailed in U.S. presidential elections, but they have played a significant role in determining the victor.
The week prior, at a Democratic National Committee meeting in St. Louis, party members were both dismissive and concerned.
“What does he have besides his name? He is a disgrace to his family’s history. “It’s a disgrace,” said Ken Martin, head of the Democratic Party in Minnesota.
Others have voiced caution. “The contest will be extremely close, so every vote counts. We cannot enter this election with rose-colored spectacles,” said Charles Wilson, chair of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C.
In many states, independent candidates must accumulate tens of thousands of signatures in order to be included on the ballot for the general election, according to many Democrats.
“It is a formidable obstacle.
Diane Sare, an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in New York who attended Kennedy’s announcement, stated that the two main parties have made it impossible for third-party candidates to appear on the ballot.
Requests for comment from the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee were not returned.
Brian Noble, a 42-year-old Iraq War veteran who served in the Army, has become cynical of American politics. In 2008, he voted for President Barack Obama but has not participated in subsequent elections. Monday, he traveled from Alabama to attend the announcement for the Kennedy campaign. Noble stated, “I believe he’s a truth-teller.”
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