Filing records from the Federal Election Commission show that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has filed to run to be the Democratic nominee for President in 2024.
Kennedy, 69, is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, Sr. and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, Sr. Both were assassinated, and his father’s death came just months after he announced his candidacy in 1968.
Although Kennedy – an environmental lawyer and activist, according to his publisher – is running as a Democrat, he has gained attention in the past year for his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine. His wife, actress Cheryl Hines, has apologized for Kennedy’s comments comparing vaccine mandates to Nazi Germany and Facebook removed anti-vax pages he ran on the social media site. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that more Republicans than Democrats have an anti-vaccine stance.
A March 10 post on Kennedy’s Twitter asked people to help him decide if he should run for president.
“If it looks like I can raise the money and mobilize enough people to win, I’ll jump in the race,” he said. “If I run, my top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class, polluted our landscapes and waters, poisoned our children, and robbed us of our values and freedoms. Together we can restore America’s democracy.”
Kennedy’s paperwork was filed Wednesday, per the FEC records.
According to his website, “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has spent his life fighting for American democracy and the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. He has battled against corporate greed and government corruption to protect our children, our health, our livelihoods, our environment, and above all, our freedom.”
As of Thursday, there also appeared to be filings in support of current President Joe Biden and former presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson. A Democratic nominee will be selected during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, said Ballotpedia.
Axios recently reported that Biden is in “no hurry” to announce his candidacy for 2024. CNN poll results released this week found that one third of Americans think the president, who turned 80 this year, deserves to be reelected for a second term. According to Forbes, Kennedy has “little chance” of being a successful candidate.
On the Republican side, 74-year-old former President Donald Trump, who announced his candidacy in November, remained in the lead of the 2024 candidate pool despite being indicted last week, per Reuters/Ipsos poll results.
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