(RepublicanReport.org) – Former President Donald Trump recently responded to Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr.’s announcement that wealthy entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan would be running alongside him in his bid for the White House. He implied that the decision was more proof that the Washington, DC, native was the “most radical left candidate” campaigning for the presidency. Trump insisted that RFK Jr. was still a Democrat and added that Shanahan was an even bigger liberal than her running mate.
Former Democrat?
RFK Jr. initially ran in April 2023 as a Democrat, but he pulled out of the primaries on October 9, 2023, announcing that he would be running on an independent platform. He claimed that his decision to leave the party was due to his belief that Dems had changed their values over the years, and they no longer agreed on enough for him to remain.
Whether his views sit firmly on the Left or Right is a matter of debate, although many people will agree that much of what RFK Jr. pushes falls outside the mainstream. He has selling points that could appeal to Libertarians as easily as extreme Liberals. His stances on the pandemic and other heated medical debates are good examples.
RFK Jr.’s anti-establishment attitude could win him some points among Right-wing voters uncertain about another Trump presidency. But he also supports far-left beliefs — such as backing the Green New Deal, ending fracking, and continuing reparation — making him particularly appealing to environmentalists and bleeding hearts.
Still, some of RFK Jr.’s more obscure beliefs could come back to bite him. His baseless assertions that mass shootings were the product of antidepressants like Prozac, Republicans stole the 2004 election, the CIA was in on the plot to assassinate former President John F. Kennedy, and other extreme theories could be enough to turn away moderates on both sides.
New Far-Left Running Mate
Shanahan could be a deciding factor for some voters. Also a former Democrat who has grown wary of the current state of the government, the liberal entrepreneur formerly invested in the tech industry but now focuses her efforts on philanthropy. She believes the party should represent “compassion” as well as “diplomacy, and science,” but instead, it has become focused on “elitism, celebrity and winning” regardless of the price Americans end up paying.
Whether the independent candidates can convince enough voters that they’re the right alternative still remains to be seen. Current polls show RFK Jr. might have just enough support to derail Biden and ensure victory for Trump in November.
Copyright 2024, RepublicanReport.org
