The nephew of former US President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., no longer wants to run for the Democrats as a presidential candidate, but instead wants to enter the race as an independent candidate. “I am here to declare myself an independent candidate for president of the United States,” the 69-year-old told supporters in Philadelphia on Monday.
The declared anti-vaccination activist has been widely criticized by Democrats and other members of his family for spreading conspiracy myths and contacts with extreme right-wing politicians. Kennedy must now try to fulfill the necessary requirements in all 50 states in order to get on the ballot.
In the USA, candidacies that are not tied to one of the two parties are considered hopeless – however, in the often close elections for the White House, they can deny the Democratic and Republican candidates decisive percentages. He receives prominent support from Twitter founder Jack Dorsey.
President Joe Biden, 80, is clearly seen by the Democrats as the most promising candidate to win the primary elections. The 71-year-old author Marianne Williamson also wants to run for the party, but is considered completely hopeless. Among Republicans, Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, 77, is well ahead in polls. The theologian and philosopher Cornel West would also like to enter the race as an independent.