Democratic hopes for a Kamala Harris-boosting Chicago convention bonanza were somewhat blunted on Friday when Robert Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate and scion of the famous political dynasty, halted his White House campaign and threw his weight behind Donald Trump.
Kennedy had initially started out as a third party disruptor picking up those who were unhappy with Biden or Trump. He reached almost 15% at one point but now only has 5%, and this number is falling ever since Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. No one is sure yet if he can carry his remaining supporters to Trump or if they will be swept into the Kamala bandwagon.
There is no firm data as yet but one survey indicates that Harris’ lead over Trump has slipped by only 0.2 per cent (down from 3.3 to 3.1 when Kennedy was taken out the equation). However, according to President Trump’s campaign team even a slight change within a closely contested swing state could hand them victory in November.
By walking across the aisle, Kennedy was seen as betraying his family tradition by Democrats and even his own siblings and eventually appeared with former US president at an Arizona rally on Friday evening following his withdrawal from the presidential race hours before it ended. Prior to that, during one of his campaign events, Trump had called him “a radical left” candidate but then chose to welcome him after thinking through it because he was highly respected and talked about vital things throughout his run for president.
At 70 years old, Kennedy’s father was Senator Robert F. Kennedy and uncle John F.Kennedy was U.S President before both men died in their thirties in different assassinations during the sixties
His vaccine opposition during covid years after many years spent practicing law related to environmental issues gripped people’s attention. Most of his siblings and cousins are Democrats; some of them spoke at the DNC endorsing Harris in Chicago earlier this week.
Nevertheless, Kennedy’s rage against his own party during his failed nomination attempt and the gradual shift towards Trump were communicated via secret sources who leaked it. He had a series of bizarre statements which are claimed he made including when he admitted to leaving a dead bear carcass in Central Park, and that a worm had eaten part of his brain.
Just before joining the MAGA camp, he tried to negotiate for a cabinet position with Harris’ team but was denied. On the other hand, President Trump has said he would think about it.
The Harris team does not seem bothered by this turn of events; they see it as an indication of desperation on Trump’s side considering recent polls where he started trailing Kamala from leading over Biden.
