Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Running As An Independent Is A Big Deal

Written by Jack Applewhite

What’s happening: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democratic presidential candidate, is said to be considering leaving his primary challenge against President Joe Biden to run as an independent. Kennedy has criticized the Democratic National Committee for not hosting primary debates and trying to hurt his campaign.

• Rewind: The DNC has a history of tough tactics against disruptors. In 2016, the Democratic Party rigged the primaries against Bernie Sanders to help Hillary Clinton. Top officials from the DNC resigned after leaked emails revealed the extent of the collusion.

The kicker: RFK Jr. understands running as an independent might lower Republican chances to win the White House in 2024. Data from RFK Jr.'s backers shows a third-party run could take more votes from Donald Trump than Joe Biden.

• Now, both Democrats and Republicans are concerned about a third-party threat. Democrat leaders are watching No Labels, a centrist group consisting of prominent politicians from both parties that are running a third-party candidate, which is likely to hurt Biden more than Trump.

MAGA's mistake: Trump and his party once supported RFK Jr., thinking he wouldn't matter much. They were mistaken. Current polls suggest Republicans favor Kennedy more than Democrats do. Major GOP donors are now donating to Kennedy's fundraising group.

Zoom out: History shows third-party candidates can shake up elections, like in 2000 and 2016 when Green Party runs affected Democrat outcomes. Kennedy's potential third-party run in 2024 could make the presidential race more unpredictable.