Staff Reports
Democrats are beginning to panic once again over the possibility of a third-party presidential campaign, and this time it’s coming from within their own party. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a candidate who has never been fully embraced by the Democratic camp, is now on the verge of switching from the Democratic Party to an independent presidential campaign. This news could spell trouble for President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee.
Kennedy’s campaign is set to announce his party affiliation switch on October 9th in Philadelphia, and they are wasting no time in launching what they’re calling “attack ads” against the DNC. This escalating fight between Kennedy and the organization is sure to cause even more division within the Democratic Party.
Democrats have long been wary of third-party campaigns, as they fear that they would pull more support from a Democratic candidate than a Republican one. The DNC is already concerned about potential Green Party and No Labels campaigns, and now the addition of Kennedy’s independent bid only adds to their worries.
Conservative voters are showing an increasing interest in Kennedy, which is leaving the DNC in a state of uncertainty. It’s hard to predict which major party candidate Kennedy would take more votes away from, as he is a Democrat with a famous name but is also gaining popularity with right-leaning voters. This could potentially split the conservative vote and hinder Trump’s chances of winning.
While Kennedy has seen a decline in polling support among Democrats in recent months, his campaign argues that he’s actually more popular among would-be Trump supporters. They believe that his candidacy would draw more votes away from Trump than from Biden, as shown in a recent poll where Kennedy had 19% support while Biden and Trump were tied at 38% each.
Be careful what you wish for.
If RFK Jr. goes independent, does that help Biden or Trump? | Washington Examiner https://t.co/FRUJTPTFyD
— Cassis (@cassisnouveau) October 4, 2023
However, running as an independent candidate comes with its own set of challenges. Kennedy would have to secure ballot access in each state and may struggle to obtain adequate funding. Additionally, both Biden and Trump have polarizing images that will likely drive voters into one of the two major party camps. Even reluctant Biden voters would see a vote for someone other than Biden as effectively a vote for Trump.
Despite Kennedy’s controversial positions and outspokenness, some Democratic strategists, like Brad Bannon, don’t see him as a significant factor in the race. Bannon believes that Kennedy lacks the standing and base to make a significant impact. He calls Kennedy’s campaign a “vanity project” that will end in embarrassment.
As a conservative, it’s entertaining to see the Democrats grapple with internal divisions and potential third-party challenges. It’s clear that these challenges are causing them great concern, and it will be interesting to see how they navigate this situation and whether it will affect Biden’s chances of re-election.
