Robert Kennedy Jr. is one of the most successful third-party candidates in American history. The son of former US Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy is leading a historic bid for the White House as an independent. According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, in a three-way race between Kennedy, Donald Trump, and President Joe Biden, the independent candidate now receives around 22 percent support for the presidency.
Although the name recognition of being a Kennedy is playing a part in the candidate’s success; however, the anti-establishment bent of the American electorate is also playing a key role.
Robert Kennedy Jr. dedicates his time not only to mainstream news outlets such as CNN and NBC but is also engaging with figures like Joe Rogan or on the PBD podcast just as frequently. This media campaign has proven to be an important strategy as viewership in the modern age is spread across many different platforms.
From a policy perspective, RFK Jr.’s criticism of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, lockdowns, and the pandemic’s official narrative has led to support from a solid and devoted constituency. Kennedy Jr. is somewhat of a contradiction when it comes to other issues, though. On the war in Ukraine, Kennedy is fiercely on the anti-intervention side while simultaneously supporting the actions of Israel in Gaza without hesitation.
Domestically, RFK Jr. has accurately diagnosed issues like affordability and the general malaise facing young people in America, which has led to garnering shares of votes from both the Republican and Democrat parties.
While it is still early in the game, the wild-card nature of Robert Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy is an interesting storyline, adding further fascination to the already intriguing 2024 presidential election.
