He presents himself “free from any party ties”. On Monday, Robert Kennedy Jr. officially declared himself as an independent candidate for the presidential election in November 2024. At the age of 69, the controversial nephew of JFK, who is primarily known for his conspiracy on Covid and vaccines, is therefore foregoing the Democratic nomination – which he had no chance of winning – and could weigh in on the likely duel between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
“I will only serve my conscience, my Creator and you,” the son of former Democratic attorney general and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy told his supporters. He attacked Joe Biden, “who is considered too old by 75% of Americans,” and Donald Trump, “who is facing multiple civil and criminal lawsuits.”
With this third-party candidacy, RFK Jr. will have to fight to get his name on the ballot. In some states, it is first necessary to collect thousands or even tens of thousands of voter signatures.
Biden and Trump on the defensive
According to a Portal poll last week, he is at a high 14% of his voting intentions, compared to 38% for Biden and 40% for Donald Trump. However, it is common for independent candidates to start very high and then fall back to below 3%. The biggest exception remains billionaire Ross Perot in 1996, who received 8% of the vote in Bill Clinton’s victory over Bob Dole.
Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump may have reason to worry. RFK Jr. could appeal to Democrats disillusioned with Biden, especially given his past as a lawyer specializing in environmental issues. But with his anti-vax conspiracy and a populist candidacy on economics and foreign policy, he could eclipse Donald Trump’s electorate, particularly among white working-class voters.
When rarely discussed, the “minor” candidates can influence the vote, especially in “swing states” that are decided by fewer than 50,000 votes. Some Democratic pundits had accused the Green Party’s Jill Stein of costing Hillary Clinton the victory in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and thus the American presidential election.
After announcing his candidacy, the black sheep of the Kennedys was attacked by four of his brothers and sisters: “Our brother Bobby’s decision to run against Joe Biden is dangerous for the country.” Bobby may have the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values. »