RFK Jr. ‘plotting a run as an INDEPENDENT’: 2024 Democratic hopeful ‘considering a third-party bid’ that could spell disaster for Biden in a rematch with Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering running on a third-party ticket instead of as a Democrat, in a dramatic move that could hurt Joe Biden’s chances in 2024 and help Donald Trump, according to reports.
The controversial scion of the political dynasty released a video on Friday warning of a “major change in American politics,” strongly hinting that he will continue the race as an independent.
The 69-year-old said he will no longer play by “corrupt rules” and wants to “rewrite the assumptions and change the habits of American politics.”
The conspiracy theorist’s move will cause panic among Democrats as it is widely believed that a third-party candidate will siphon votes from Biden if he is in a rematch with Trump.
Biden’s aides are reportedly concerned about how an alternative candidate to Biden and Trump could create an easier path to a Republican victory.
Kate deGruyter, a strategist for Third Way, told DailyMail.com that Kennedy’s decision would have the same impact on the race.
She said Trump’s base is “alarmingly committed” while Biden “has more soft supporters and independent voters in his coalition.”
“Any third-party candidacy – whether No Labels or RFK – that divides Biden’s coalition and lowers the ceiling for Trump would help re-elect Trump,” they added.
Kennedy will reinforce these fears with a major announcement in Philadelphia on October 9.
His campaign team plans to run ‘attack ads’ against the Democratic National Committee, Mediaite reported.
When DailyMail.com reached out to the Kennedy campaign for comment, they sent a link to the video.
‘How are we going to win against the vested interests in Washington?’ the 69-year-old says in the video.
“It is not by playing the game by the corrupt rules that the corrupt powers and vested interests have rigged to control us all.
“Instead, we will have to rewrite the assumptions and change the habits of American politics.”
He has struggled to gain more than 20 percent in the polls, but winning just a few thousand votes in the general election could spell disaster for the president.
Kennedy is known to be skeptical of vaccines and recently made waves by suggesting that COVID was “ethnically targeted” so that Chinese people and Jews have more immunity.
The controversial scion of the political dynasty released a video on Friday strongly suggesting he will make a “major change in American politics” and continue the race as an independent.
But he still has a group of loyal supporters, and Biden’s poor approval ratings have led to calls for an open primary.
“What I have come to understand after six months of campaigning: there is a path to victory,” he adds. He then mentions that he has faith in the “goodness” of the American people.
No Labels hasn’t endorsed a candidate yet, but they have a $70 million war chest to promote whoever they want to put on the ticket.
Anti-racism campaigner Cornel West is running for the Green Party and the group No Labels has also sparked speculation that they will enter the race.
Five polls since late May show Trump gaining ground and mostly taking the lead.
For example, an Emerson poll had Trump and Biden at a 45 percent dead heat. But adding I West drops Biden’s support to 42 percent, while Trump is at 42 percent.
Biden, as in 2020, needs a larger share of independent and moderate voters to win in 2024.
There are fears that a third party entry could have the same impact that Jill Stein had on the 2016 election, where she likely received key votes from Hillary Clinton in her race against Trump.
A third-party candidate has never won the general election and rarely gets more than 1 percent of the vote, but they have acted as spoilers.
In 1912, third-party candidate Theodore Roosevelt came second in the presidential race.
Since then, only nine times has a third-party candidate received more than 5 percent of the popular vote or a vote in the Electoral College.
The conspiracy theorist’s move will cause panic among Democrats as it is widely believed that a third-party candidate will siphon votes from Biden if he is in a rematch with Trump.
With the 2024 election predicted to be as close as 2020, a third party candidate receiving a few thousand votes in one of the swing states could tip the outcome.
In 2020, seven states were decided by less than three points. Biden won six of those states.
If a candidate like Kennedy were successful in any of those states, they would likely take votes away from Biden and give Trump an advantage.
A Center for Progress poll also showed Biden leading Trump in a two-way race. But when moderate Larry Hogan joined, Biden and Trump tied the score.
This is evidence that a candidate to the left of Trump is taking votes from Biden.
Hogan, along with moderate Democrat Joe Manchin, have been mentioned as potential candidates for No Labels.