Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—son of slain US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy—announced on Monday (October 9) that he would run as an independent candidate in the 2024 US election.
A long-time Democrat, as the Kennedys and Fitzgeralds were for generations, RFK Jr. has since distanced himself from the party of his father and uncle, especially in terms of environmental activism and his anti-vaccine stance during the pandemic, the Associated Press reported.
Join Me For A Historic Announcement https://t.co/O8a3TDaPus
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) October 9, 2023
A Breath of Fresh Air From the Red-Blue Dichotomy
Speaking in Philadelphia's Independence Mall, where the US's founding documents were adopted, Kennedy stated there was a "rising tide of discontent" in the country, which prompted him to make a "new Declaration of Independence" from corporations, the media, "cynical elites," and the two major parties - the Republicans and the Democrats.
"I've come here today to declare our independence from the tyranny of corruption which robs us of affordable lives, our belief in the future, and our respect for each other," he said. "But to do that I must first declare my own independence. Independence from the Democratic Party and from all other political parties."
Supporters have gathered to see Kennedy speak while chanting "RFK all the way," and flashing campaign signs with the tentative slogan "Declare your independence."
They said they did not identify as Democrat or Republican and viewed Kennedy as a truth-teller and a breath of fresh air.
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Both Major Parties Find RFK Jr.'s Bid a Nuisance
Kennedy has been speculated as the candidate that would spoil the campaigns of both US President Joe Biden (D) and former president Donald Trump (R) - both of whom are vying for a second term in office - which he confirmed as his intention.
The Republicans accused Kennedy of supporting conspiracy theories about COVID-19 or "stolen election" claims in the 2000 and 2004 elections which put George W. Bush in the White House.
On the other hand, the Democratic National Committee dismissed Kennedy's primary campaign as unserious.
In response, Kennedy spent weeks accusing the DNC of "rigging" the party's primary against him and threatening that he might need to consider alternatives.
"If they jam me, I'm going to look at every option," he said at a New Hampshire barbecue last September.
Kennedy's Family Divided Over RFK, Jr.
Four of Kennedy's 10 siblings put out a joint statement denouncing their brother's candidacy, saying they were saddened by his announcement.
"The decision of our brother Bobby to run as a third party candidate against Joe Biden is dangerous to our country," it read. "Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision, or judgment."
However, Politico reported that RFK Jr.'s children were supportive of their father's bid.
The announcement came less than a week after progressive activist Cornel West abandoned his Green Party bid in favor of an independent White House candidate, while the centrist group No Labels was actively securing ballot access for a yet-to-be-named bid.
RFK Jr. Explains His Decision to Run as Independent
At the same time as the symbolic speech in Philadelphia, Newsweek published Kennedy's opinion piece about the reason why he ran an independent White House bid.
"Today, I declared my independence from the corporations that have hijacked our government to milk us for profit," he wrote. "I declared my independence from these corrupting powers because they are incompatible with the inalienable rights that our original Declaration of Independence invoked in 1776: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
