Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Declares “Independence from the Democratic Party” with Presidential Bid

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of the storied Democratic dynasty, declared his “independence from the Democratic Party” on Monday in Philadelphia. Kennedy, who has been an outspoken critic of vaccines and other issues, is launching an independent bid for the presidential nomination.

Kennedy said his campaign aims to heal the political divide, which he believes is a fiction of a corrupt establishment. He compared Republicans and Democrats to teenagers fighting over the steering wheel of an out-of-control car, but both following a GPS programmed by lobbyists.

Kennedy said the hatred between the two parties is “orchestrated” and that he intends to “wrest the reins of power from both parties and give to it the American people.” His independent bid is expected to weaken both major parties as Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump tighten their grip on their parties’ presidential nominations.

No Labels, a new political party, is intensifying its candidate recruitment efforts in response to Kennedy’s independent bid. While there is little concern that Kennedy or any other independent or third-party candidate would actually win the presidency, they could siphon support from the ultimate nominee.

Kennedy’s independent bid is the latest in a series of outsider candidates who have threatened to weaken the two major parties. It remains to be seen how much of an impact his campaign will have on the presidential race.