RFK Jr. Swaps Parties, Now Running as an Independent

(NationRise.com) – The Kennedy family has been a powerhouse in the Democratic party for decades. On Monday, October 9, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his intention to split from that tradition in his bid for the 2024 election as campaign season begins heating up.

Kennedy will now be running for president as an independent. He was previously campaigning as a Democrat in an effort to win the party’s nomination and unseat the sitting President, Joe Biden. The announcement came during an address at Independence Hall.

Kennedy believed a bias in the Democrat party was unfairly skewing the process against his campaign, leading him to run as an independent.

Polls have shown that Kennedy is generally seen favorably by both sides. That became especially evident when conservative commentator Tucker Carlson interviewed him. Carlson was generally favorable towards Kennedy despite him running as a Democrat.

Several of his relatives criticized the move, claiming it could be detrimental to the US. They admonished him for moving away from his father’s values. However, his children continue to support his campaign.

The move comes as polls show favorable support from voters on both the left and right. While this may be true, an Echelon Insights Survey shows his shift may help improve former President Donald Trump’s odds of winning the election while simultaneously harming Biden’s chances.

While support for Kennedy comes from both sides, so does criticism. Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, accused Kennedy of being a typical liberal Democrat. She cited his support of AOC’s tax increases and her Green New Deal legislation, among other concerns.

Kennedy’s campaign has attracted significant funding, putting him on par with some partisan candidates. It raised over $6 million in its first two months of existence. Another $2.2 million of capital was raised during a fundraising concert hosted by Eric Clapton last month. Within hours of announcing his run as an independent, Kennedy received an astonishing $11 million in donations.