Yahoo Autos RFK Jr.’s rising profile sparks Democratic jitters
Democrats are growing concerned that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s profile is rising just as President Biden embarks on a challenging campaign to keep the White House out of Republican control.
Kennedy, an anti-vaccine proponent who launched a primary bid against Biden this spring, is doing unexpectedly well in some polls and receiving increasing media attention as a result. He has also been on a press tour this week that included a Twitter Spaces discussion with Elon Musk and digital town hall with journalist Michael Smerconish.
Democrats widely consider Kennedy to be a problematic fringe candidate who freely spreads conspiracy theories. But his relatively decent poll numbers, as well as his media-ready image as an heir to the famous political dynasty, have caused some to worry he could gain steam and potentially distract from the task of reelecting Biden in 2024.
“Democrats would be foolish to mock or belittle RFK Jr. Every time we make fun of those who hold fringe positions, we lose,” said Michael Ceraso, a Democratic strategist and former campaign aide to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Democratic Party acting smug never works.”
Kennedy has indeed stirred up some untapped anger within his own party; Democrats have seen him rise to double digits in several recent polls, leading some establishment figures to acknowledge the parts of his message that may be resonating with voters.
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A recent Fox News survey placed Kennedy at 16 percent support among registered voters. And a CNN poll released Friday shows him with 20 percent of support among Democratic and Democratic-leaning respondents.
“Take RFK seriously, Biden,” Ceraso said. “If you don’t, we can create a stronger Republican Party that beats us in 2024. Like Bernie did in 2016, RFK has the potential to activate fringe anger if we mock them.”
On Monday, the environmental lawyer made a series of unconventional campaign moves that caught the media’s attention. He participated in a SiriusXM-streamed interview with Smerconish, where he called himself an “an evidenced-based person” and doubled down on his nonconformist views on vaccines while defending his candidacy.
“It’s not like the Soviet system where the party would, you know, pick the candidates,” he said about his challenge to Biden, arguing that Americans need to see democracy in action.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at an event where he announced his run for president on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, in Boston. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)
After that, he participated in a Twitter Spaces conversation with Musk, where Kennedy spent portions of the discussion overtly praising him, including saying, “thank you for your service” of buying the platform.
He even suggested that he would take a stricter approach to immigration that puts him closer to former President Trump, saying he is planning on looking into ways that “will seal the border permanently.”
At one point in the discussion, former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party to become a Trump-aligned Republican after her own failed presidential bid in 2020, appeared in the online chat.
Democrats have mostly waved off Kennedy’s campaign as a mere distraction. In recent days, however, some have become more upset and outright dismissive about his fondness for espousing theories about politics and science without credible evidence.
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is able to generate media attention and a certain bit of curiosity because of his name. Otherwise he’s a gadfly and a laughingstock,” said Jim Kessler, executive vice president for policy at Third Way.
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Democrats have emphasized the danger of his disputed views toward vaccines after Republicans spent much of the pandemic spreading misinformation and contradicting public health officials.
