Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024 presidential campaign
announced his campaign for the 2024 United States presidential election on April 19, 2023. An environmental lawyer, writer, and member of the Kennedy family, he is known for advocating anti-vaccine misinformation and a variety of public health conspiracy theories. He initially ran for the Democratic Party nomination, but announced on October 9, 2023, that he would run as an independent candidate.
Kennedy initially received support from independents and youth, while also drawing significant support from Republican Party donors and allies of Donald Trump who believed he would serve as a spoiler for then Democrats' candidate President Joe Biden. His campaign also received strong support and praise from various tech industry executives in Silicon Valley. Reactions to his campaign from his extended family were largely negative.
On August 23, 2024, Kennedy suspended the campaign operations and endorsed the campaign of the Republican nominee, former president Trump. Kennedy then began removing his name from the ballot in ten swing states—though he was unable to do so in Wisconsin and Michigan—although his name remained on ballots in red states and blue states. The following month, Kennedy began to withdraw from safe Republican-leaning states, to give the Trump campaign a better chance of winning.
Trump appointed Kennedy as Secretary of Health and Human Services in his second cabinet.
Background
Kennedy is a member of the Kennedy family, four of whom have previously run for the United States presidency. His uncle, John F. Kennedy, was elected president as a Democrat in 1960 after a successful presidential campaign. In subsequent decades, several other family members sought the Democratic Party presidential nomination, but have failed to be nominated. His father and namesake, Robert F. Kennedy, ran a campaign for the nomination in 1968, but he was assassinated before the party's nominating convention. His uncle-by-marriage, Sargent Shriver, was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 1972, and ran for the nomination in 1976, but later withdrew from the race. His uncle, Ted Kennedy, ran a campaign for the nomination in 1980, but was defeated in the primaries by then-incumbent president Jimmy Carter.Campaign
Announcement
On March 3, 2023, in a speech at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Kennedy stated that he was considering a run for president in 2024. YouTube later took down a video of the speech, citing medical misinformation.On April 5, 2023, Kennedy filed his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. He formally declared his candidacy at a campaign launch event at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston on April 19, 2023. He chose Boston for his launch because of his family's deep political roots in the city, and referenced in his speech that he graduated from both high school and college in Massachusetts.
Personal security concerns
Early in his campaign, Kennedy expressed a belief that the CIA might kill him. "I gotta be careful," he said in an interview with Joe Rogan. "I'm not stupid about it and I take precautions." His comments echoed long-running conspiracy theories regarding his father and uncle's assassinations.Since then, there have been multiple potential threats to Kennedy's life during his election campaign. He had been the subject of threats from an armed man impersonating a US marshal who was arrested at a Los Angeles campaign events. Kennedy has also received threatening emails indicating intentions to harm him, and an intruder attempted to unlawfully enter his Brentwood home, and managed to get over its fence and into its yard before being detained by Kennedy's personal security.
In 2023 Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with a bipartisan congressional advisory committee, denied Kennedy's multiple requests for Secret Service protection.
Kennedy responded by stating that: "Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me," and "Our campaign's request included a 67-page report from the world's leading protection firm, detailing unique and well established security and safety risks aside from commonplace death threats". As a result, Kennedy has initiated a public petition for granting him access to Secret Service protection.
Separate analyses by CNN and WJNO radio found that Kennedy had not been treated differently than other presidential candidates and had not yet met the requirements to automatically receive Secret Service protection.
Shortly after the July 13, 2024 attempted assassination of Republican candidate Donald Trump, President Biden ordered the Secret Service to provide protection for Kennedy.
Financing
Kennedy has garnered financial backing from Republicans associated with former President Donald Trump. An analysis of the June 30, 2023, campaign finance filings shows that of the individuals who contributed at or near the maximum, those with Republican histories exceeded those with Democratic histories. About fifty percent of the total funds raised by American Values 2024, the super PAC that is supporting Kennedy's campaign, were contributed by Timothy Mellon, a longtime Republican mega-donor and Trump supporter. Kennedy's campaign finance report also showed substantial support from people who have promoted conspiracy theories. Steve Kirsch, a promoter of disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, donated over $10,000. Other notable donors include activist Abby Rockefeller of the Rockefeller family, billionaire Gavin de Becker, and anti-abortion advocate Mark Lee Dickson.Party affiliation and personnel changes
On September 29, 2023, Mediaite reported that Kennedy was reorienting his campaign to run as an independent rather than as a Democrat.On October 9, 2023, he confirmed these reports by formally announcing that he would be continuing his presidential bid as an independent candidate. The announcement took place at an event held in Philadelphia. In his announcement speech, Kennedy criticized the Democratic and Republican parties for functioning as a "uniparty".
Prior to the switch Kennedy and his campaign manager, Dennis Kucinich, had expressed dissatisfaction with the Democratic primary election process. Considered an underdog, he often polled around the low double digits while running for the Democratic nomination, and had also been losing support in polls of Democratic primary voters. By switching to independent, he would no longer run in Democratic primary elections.
After Kennedy abandoned his run for the Democratic nomination in favor of an independent run, his campaign experienced turnover in a number of key positions. Campaign manager Dennis Kucinich stepped down, with Kennedy's daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy taking on the leadership role.
In early January 2024, Del Bigtree replaced Stefanie Spear as communications director.
Super Bowl commercial
On February 11, 2024, during Super Bowl LVIII, the American Values 2024 super PAC ran a 30-second television spot in support of Kennedy consisting of an edited version of a John F. Kennedy spot from his 1960 campaign. The ad used the same jingle and motif, replacing John F. Kennedy's images with those of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and replacing text that said "Vote Democratic" with "Vote Independent." It was the only campaign advertisement which aired nationally during the game and reportedly cost US$7 million. Kennedy's cousin, Bobby Shriver, criticized the advertisement for using the likeness of his mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, whom he believed "would be appalled by deadly health care views." Kennedy subsequently issued an apology on Twitter, stating the ad was created without any involvement from his campaign. Kennedy's account posted the advertisement and retweeted reactions to it before the apology was made.The impetus for the ad came from Tony Lyons, co-chair of American Values 2024, and Nicole Shanahan, who provided $4 million and helped coordinate production. Shanahan, who was later selected as Kennedy's running mate, is a tech entrepreneur who has donated to Democratic candidates. Lyons is president and publisher of Skyhorse Publishing, which publishes Kennedy's conspiracy theory books.
Vice presidential selection
Attorney and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan was announced as Kennedy's running mate for vice president on March 26, 2024. Following the announcement, the campaign said it would work on ballot access in 19 states where a running mate is a precondition for being on the ballot.The campaign had announced on March 12 that Kennedy had selected a running mate from a shortlist that included former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, professional football player Aaron Rodgers, former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Other potential candidates that met with Kennedy include motivational speaker Tony Robbins, television host Mike Rowe, and civil rights attorney Tricia Lindsay. On March 16, Mediaite reported that Kennedy would select Shanahan, and his campaign manager confirmed she was under consideration. Gabbard has said that Kennedy offered her the vice presidential position, but she "respectfully declined" it.
CNN Debate
The Kennedy Campaign initially intended to meet the debate requirements which were as follows:- File with the Federal Election Commission;
- Be constitutionally eligible to hold the presidency;
- Appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to have a mathematical possibility of winning a majority vote in the Electoral College;
- Agree to the rules of the debate; and
- Reach at least 15% support in four national public opinion polls selected by CNN between March 13 and June 20, 2024.
Although Trump claimed to have no objection to Kennedy participating in the debate, the Trump campaign was later reported to have received "assurances" that Kennedy would not be invited. The Biden campaign opposed Kennedy's inclusion and reportedly told CNN that the president would only participate in a two person debate.
On May 29, Kennedy filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that the Biden and Trump campaigns colluded to prevent him from appearing at the debate following a statement from an FEC chair that Kennedy's exclusion was illegal under FEC law. The claim was that the ballot access requirement was unfairly applied, neither Biden or Trump had secured ballot access in any state as their respective conventions had not yet occurred.
In response to not being allowed into the televised debate Kennedy hosted a live event dubbed "The Real Debate" in which he responded to the same questions that were asked of Biden and Trump.