Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will launch a presidential independent campaign to challenge Joe Biden for the Democratic Party nomination.
According to multiple sources, the official announcement is expected on October 9th in Pennsylvania.
According to a review by Mediaite, Kennedy’s campaign is planning to run “attack ads” on the Democratic National Committee to “pave the way” for the announcement of his running as an Independent in Philadelphia.
There is no good news for Republicans. This is supported by empirical evidence. According to recent polling, RFK Jr. has a high approval rating with Republicans but is disliked by Democrats.
If this does happen (and it’s a big if!) it could easily backfire on the GOP nominee. Kennedy is significantly more popular among Republican voters than among Democrats. QPac poll found him +30 among GOP, -43 among Dems. Siena had him +36 among Trump voters, -35 among Biden. https://t.co/yc3RoxaoKr pic.twitter.com/Xf3IXf6Qs4
β Jacob Rubashkin (@JacobRubashkin) September 29, 2023
Not only am I concerned about this dynamic, but so are others. Donald Trump’s biggest supporters are also raising the alarm.
I explain here why RFK running could hurt Trump.
Listen:https://t.co/gojPbhfW4x
β Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 29, 2023
RFK cant win but he can deny Trump the White House and hand it to Dems https://t.co/GSC3Tu2EAV
β Jack Poso πΊπΈ (@JackPosobiec) September 29, 2023
All of this does not happen in a vacuum. The two people whose names I quoted were among RFK Jr.’s most prominent supporters, and they weren’t alone. Conservatives, especially those who were skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccinations, embraced RFK Jr. early on as a sort of anti-establishment leader. The only reason he is able to have a large platform today is due to right-wing media.
Then I will say: I told you that.
In late April, I warned about the Republican obsession with RFK Jr. but no one listened.
As this is my first article about Kennedy Jr., I will warn people to not get too enamored of him. He has some conservative allies when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines but is still a radical socialist on everything else. He’s the guy who demanded that those who didn’t believe in climate change be arrested and killed.
When I wrote this, I didn’t mean to refer to those who wanted RFK Jr. to cause chaos in the Democratic Party. This was always an admirable goal. I didn’t mention those who praised him for his appearance in front of Congress on the subject of government censorship. It was fair to report that he said some good stuff.
What I am talking about is much more. The people were so taken with him that they suggested he be Donald Trump’s Vice President, among other absurd proposals. RFK Jr. was not a big deal until Republican commentators, influencers and other people made him a big deal. This thing could cost the Republicans the 2024 elections by splitting the votes.
In July I issued another warning. This time, I did not mince words.
This dude literally wanted to put “climate deniers” to death. If you are buying this grift, you deserve what you get. https://t.co/fTqXZEASZK
β Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 13, 2023
You can be sure that Republicans will get what they deserve.
Right-wingers must stop promoting leftists who happen to have a viewpoint we share. RFK Jr. did make some valid points regarding COVID-19 mandates for vaccines, but this didn’t turn him into a conservative. It made him a liberal on the far left who was not as irritating as other liberals.
It’s important to note that I am not saying Republicans shouldn’t take credit for their efforts. I was one of many Republicans who praised Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for her efforts to defend the filibuster. No one has ever said that Kyrsten Sinema is a conservative. Conservatives today are far too easily amused. We must be more discerning, and more skeptical. Ask yourself why certain influencers promote a Democrat.
We’ll have to wait and see, but RFK Jr. entering the race will drain precious resources away from a Republican electorate that is already spending most of their money on legal fees. Playing nice with him will only lead to further vote splitting among the right while rallying the Democrat opposition. To go on the offense requires money and time, which are both in short supply.
The right scored an own goal. Maybe some lessons will be learned.