Chase Burdick 

Science & Business Editor 

cxb1345@psu.edu 

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a speech at the National Constitution Center on Oct. 9 that he was dropping out of the Democratic primary race. He will be running for president in the 2024 election as an Independent. This departure from the Democratic Party made him the first Kennedy to not run as a Democrat. 

His declaration of independence had the crowd gathered, cheering for 30 seconds straight. The crowd’s reaction was nothing but that of immediate support, with chanting of “Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!” being heard. Kennedy tied the theme of independence into his statement of why he decided to leave the Democratic party; “I’m coming here today to declare our independence from the journey of corruption, which robs us of affordable lives, our belief in the future and our respect for each other. But to do that, I must first declare my own independence, independence from the Democratic Party.” 

RFK, as he is commonly abbreviated, has long been a standout amongst the Democratic party. His views are considered unorthodox by comparison to many Democrats. This critique of him is because many Democrats know RFK as one of the prominent voices in the anti-vaccination movement, a position traditionally held by conservatives. He is even the founder of a non-profit called Children’s Health Defense, which has anti-vaccine efforts as its goal.  

However, the anti-vaccination position viewed as unorthodox for a Democrat does not hold any water. The data out there does not necessarily reflect a correlation with political parties at all. The Centers for Disease Control’s vaccine exemption data shows that neither party is worse or better than the other regarding vaccination status. This conclusion highlights a peculiar insight where there is a stigma around RFK among Democrats that does not reflect the view of voters. This insight is a crucial analogy to RFK’s platform of unity and independence, freedom. 

RFK believes that the Democratic party has lost its way. He has repeatedly objected to the Democratic National Committee’s rules governing its primary, calling it an “unfair process.” However, Kennedy still considers himself a “traditional Democrat,” as he put it. He has a goal of leading by example and, in the process, bringing the Democratic Party back to its traditional ideals.  

Running as an independent was a strategic move for his campaign for president. The modern Democratic Party makes him appear as an outcast among them. At the same time, his views apply to moderates across the spectrum. In addition, running as an independent elevates his position in polling as he will now appear separately from the Democratic Party. This elevated position can sway voters discouraged by the two-party system’s extreme views as of late. In the last election, it was common to hear many people say they had to choose between “the lesser of two evils” when voting. This turn of events will ensure a moderate politician makes it on the final ballot, as RFK was not likely to beat Biden in the primary for the Democratic Party. 

Some critics have remarked that this move makes Kennedy a spoiler candidate. His sister, Kerry Kennedy, posted that she and three of both Kennedy’s siblings found his candidacy “perilous for the country.” They fail to realize that any candidate is as valid as the other. A political party has no role in the matter. Fears of him pulling votes away from both party’s candidates are valid but unwarranted. We do not need our president to belong to a party. Kennedy is even hoping to shake things up for the two-party system, “The Democrats are frightened that I’m gonna spoil the election for President Biden. The Republicans are frightened that I’m gonna spoil it for President Trump. The truth is they’re both right, my intention is to spoil it for both of them,” he stated.  

As Biden claimed in his 2020 campaign, Kennedy wants to unite the country. “During this campaign and during my administration my objective will be to make as many Americans as possible forget that they are Republicans or Democrats and remember that they are Americans,” he stated. He views the country as “being stolen from him” and aims to focus “on the values we share instead of the issues that divide us” as a president. 

His campaign also hopes to “end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power.” Elaborating more on what he hoped to accomplish as president, Kennedy depicted a United States where people could speak free of censorship, children would be healthier, and the country would station fewer American troops abroad.  

With Kennedy’s freedom of thought and tradition of unifying America, RFK stands poised to give independents a legitimate run for their money. This divergence from the two-party system could bring to light the possibility for voters to choose something outside our self-imposed voting confines. At the very least, it should encourage voters to research candidates more and choose who they want instead of whatever choice the ballot provides to them.