Longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday that he will run in the U.S. presidential election as an independent and drop his candidacy in the Democratic primary, adding a new element to the 2024 race which is heading towards a likely rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Kennedy, a member of one of the most famous Democratic families in politics, was running in the primaries and enjoys higher approval ratings among Republicans than Democrats. It is unclear whether the Democratic Party’s support would translate into a general election, when it would also be running against Mr. Trump. Allies of Biden and Trump have sometimes wondered whether Mr. Kennedy was not in danger of playing spoilsport against their candidate.
So far, Joe Biden’s allies have called Kennedy’s primary campaign unserious. Asked about his possible independent candidacy, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee responded with an eye-rolling emoji.
Awaiting Mr. Kennedy’s speech, hundreds of supporters gathered on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, an ideal location for the campaign launch. Campaign signs advertised a potential new slogan: “Declare your independence.”
Among Mr. Kennedy’s supporters were several voters who said they did not identify with Democrats or Republicans and who view Mr. Kennedy as a truth-teller and a breath of fresh air.