Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Run as an Independent Candidate in 2024

By 270toWin Staff

October 9, 2023, 1:53 PM ET

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Monday that he will run as an independent candidate for president in 2024. The environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic will abandon his long-shot challenge for the Democratic nomination.

Kennedy had been averaging just under 14% support in recent national Democratic polls. It is unclear how much of that reflected actual interest in his candidacy among Democratic primary voters vs. a lack of enthusiasm for Joe Biden.

Other polls have shown him even more popular with Republicans. We should start seeing more general election polling of a Biden-Trump-Kennedy ballot in the weeks ahead, providing  a better gauge of Kennedy's current overall support.

And there may be other challenges to the major party frontrunners. Last week, progressive academic Cornel West also said he would run as an independent, after previously seeking the Green Party's nomination. The group No Labels has also raised millions, and has gained ballot access in at least 10 states, to possibly run a candidate next year.  

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