Democrats are in panic mode as they try to save President Biden’s re-election hopes from the threat posed by independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy announced tech entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential running mate at a rally in California, prompting concern from Democratic leaders such as Rep. Robert Garcia, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis, and Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. They expressed worry that Kennedy’s candidacy would significantly reduce Biden’s chances of being re-elected, referring to him as a spoiler who could potentially help Donald Trump win again.
Kennedy has faced criticism from Democrats for being a conspiracy theorist with past skepticism toward vaccines, particularly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Garcia accused Kennedy of having an anti-health agenda, despite Shanahan’s focus on health in her introduction as Kennedy’s running mate. There were also allegations that Kennedy was being supported by Trump mega-donors, potentially with the intention of helping Trump get re-elected. Democratic leaders called on Kennedy to end his campaign, describing it as dangerous and shameful.
Davis also raised concerns about Kennedy’s past vaccine rhetoric and speculated that he was being financed by Trump’s top supporters, posing a threat to Biden’s chances, particularly in swing states. The Democratic leaders accused Kennedy of deliberately spreading dangerous lies and conspiracy theories about vaccines, targeting Black people with misinformation. They emphasized the need to prevent Trump from being re-elected and warned that Kennedy could spoil key swing states for Biden, similar to Green Party candidate Jill Stein in 2016.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched an effort to combat the threat from third-party candidates like Kennedy through legal challenges and opposition research. Strategist Lis Smith, consulting for the DNC, referred to Kennedy as a spoiler and criticized Shanahan for reportedly donating millions to boost Kennedy before being named his running mate. Trump-aligned super PAC Make America Great Again, Inc. also criticized Kennedy, describing him as a far-left radical who supports policies like reparations, the Green New Deal, and banning fracking. The group highlighted Shanahan’s past support for Biden as well.
Recent polls have shown that Kennedy, Stein, and independent candidate Dr. Cornel West could pull significant support from both Biden and Trump. In a three-way race, Kennedy is polling at 15%, with Trump leading Biden by 4 points. In a five-way race including West and Stein, Kennedy’s support drops to 11%, with Trump maintaining a 2-point advantage over Biden. The dynamics of the upcoming election appear complex, with concerns about potential spoilers impacting the outcome and the need for Democrats to address these challenges to secure Biden’s re-election.
