Longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday he will run for president as an independent and drop his Democratic primary bid, reports the AP. The move adds another wrinkle to a 2024 race heading toward a likely rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Kennedy, a member of one of the most famous Democratic families in politics, was running a longshot primary bid and has better favorability ratings among Republicans than Democrats. It's unclear whether GOP support would translate to a general election when Kennedy would also be running against Trump. Both Biden and Trump allies have at times questioned whether Kennedy would be a spoiler against their candidate.
Biden's allies so far have dismissed Kennedy's primary campaign as unserious. Asked for comment on his potential independent run ahead of the announcement, a Democratic National Committee spokesman responded with an eye roll emoji. Monday's announcement comes less than a week after the progressive activist Cornel West abandoned his Green Party bid in favor of an independent White House run. Meanwhile, the centrist group No Labels is actively securing ballot access for a yet-to-be-named candidate. Kennedy has spent weeks accusing the DNC of "rigging" the party's primary against him and threatening that he might need to consider alternatives.
Awaiting Kennedy's remarks Monday, hundreds of supporters gathered at Philadelphia's Independence Mall, an apt location for the expected launch. Campaign signs teased a potential new slogan: "Declare your independence." Among Kennedy's fans in the crowd were several voters who said they don't identify as Democratic or Republican and view Kennedy as a truth teller and a breath of fresh air. "He tells it how it is," said Julia Hill, a 23-year-old student from New Jersey. "He doesn't sound like a politician."
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