Topline
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is expected to announce Monday he’ll run as an independent candidate for president, has reportedly provoked anxiety in Donald Trump’s campaign team, according to Semafor, potentially marking the start of a coordinated offensive against RFK Jr.
Kennedy announced his candidacy for president on April 19 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Scott … [+]
Key Facts
Trump internal campaign polling cited, though not reviewed by Semafor, suggests Kennedy’s independent bid could draw more votes away from Trump than from President Joe Biden during a general election.
An unnamed source familiar with the poll told Semafor RFK Jr. could take enough votes “to make a difference,” despite the relatively low numbers the presidential candidate could take in.
The threat has provoked the organization of an opposition campaign against Kennedy, one that will revolve around “his very liberal views, dating back to 2012.”
Kennedy, who will speak at a Conservative Political Action Conference event later this month, has expressed views catering to the conspiratorial right despite launching a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in April.
He has been boosted by popular media figures associated with independent or conservative leanings, like an interview with and favorable comments from podcaster Joe Rogan, an interview with former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson and a two-and-a-half hour discussion with tech billionaire Elon Musk on Twitter Spaces.
Kennedy has also enjoyed support from Republican figures including Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), both of whom backed up the presidential candidate during his testimony at a congressional hearing in July.
Tangent
Trump commands about a 1 point lead over Biden in the general election polling average as of this week, according to RealClearPolitics.
Crucial Quote
“I’ll be speaking about a sea change in American politics,” Kennedy said in an announcement video for his upcoming appearance in Philadelphia on Monday, adding criticisms about corruption he claims has spread to “the leadership in both political parties.”
Key Background
Kennedy’s potential independent run would likely be fueled by frustrations the presidential candidate has had with the Democratic party, some of which are based on the idea that the party is conspiring to rig the primaries against him, according to NBC News. Kennedy has rallied fringe support through several conspiracy theories revolving around subjects like stolen presidential elections, Covid-19 and the Covid-19 vaccine, most notably saying at a July dinner that Covid-19 was genetically engineered to target Caucasians and Black people while “the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” Kennedy’s super-PAC has received strong support from GOP megadonors, reporting a $5 million donation from Trump donor Timothy Mellon, which was provided not long before Kennedy launched his presidential campaign in April. Mellon supported Kennedy in a statement reported by Politico on Monday in which he lauded his “bipartisan support,” saying the presidential candidate could “root out corruption” and “unite the country.” Security consultant Gavin De Becker provided RFK Jr.’s super-PAC with $4.5 million in late June. De Becker has a history of funding Republicans and Democrats.
Further Reading
Team Trump readies attacks on RFK Jr. as spoiler anxiety grows (Semafor)
Here’s How Much Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Is Worth (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/10/07/heres-why-trumps-team-appears-worried-about-rfk-jrs-presidential-bid/