Trump attacks RFK Jr., a third-party wild card
Former president Donald Trump attacked Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, Wednesday, casting Kennedy as a liberal Democrat in disguise while also seeming to back him as a spoiler for President Biden’s campaign.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, pointed in particular to Kennedy’s views on climate change and the environment, writing on his social media site that Kennedy was more “radical Left” than Biden.
Yet he also professed support for Kennedy’s campaign, claiming that Kennedy would be likely to siphon votes from Biden. “I love that he is running!” Trump concluded.
Trump’s post, which came a day after Kennedy announced his running mate, underscores the political wild card that is Kennedy’s bid. Even as Trump asserted that Kennedy’s independent campaign would be a boon to his own effort to beat Biden, two Trump campaign officials said they had seen polling that showed Kennedy drawing support from independent voters in a way that could be equally detrimental to both Trump and Biden.
Though Kennedy will face challenges getting on the ballot in several states, it is possible that his campaign could tip the scales in battlegrounds where the margins of victory have been narrow in recent election cycles.
Kennedy’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. But on Tuesday, he made clear his intention to court voters who have soured on both candidates. “Our campaign is a spoiler all right,” he said during his announcement. “It is a spoiler for President Biden and for President Trump.”
Underlying Kennedy’s possible appeal are positions that defy easy political categorization or are inconsistent. A former environmental lawyer, Kennedy started his presidential campaign last year as a Democrat challenging Biden in the primary. After six months, he announced he would run as an independent candidate instead.
Kennedy has voiced support for the Green New Deal and has backed environmental policies favored by the left that would limit the use of fossil fuels. But he opposes military assistance for Ukraine in its war against Russia, putting him at odds with mainstream Democrats and aligning him more closely with many on the right, including Trump.
After backing a federal abortion ban last year, Kennedy immediately backtracked and said he supported a woman’s right to choose, without offering specifics. Democrats are expected to make protecting reproductive rights central to Biden’s reelection campaign.
Kennedy, long a vaccine skeptic, also rose to prominence during the pandemic, when he railed against vaccine mandates and lockdown measures.