Independent US presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr suspended his long-shot campaign and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump on 23 August 2024
Despite significant challenges, Kennedy’s campaign secured spots on 20 state ballots, marking the most successful independent national ballot access effort in 30 years.
According to Federal Election Commission filings published this week, Kennedy’s campaign was running out of money, and the latest Ipsos poll showed his national support dropping to 4% from a peak of around 15%.
Kennedy originally entered the race as a Democrat, challenging President Biden for the nomination, before deciding last October to run as an independent.
His latest decision to back Trump angered many members of his family and on Friday five of his siblings released a statement on X saying
We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride.
We believe in Harris and Walz. Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Chris Kennedy, and Rory Kennedy
Kennedy, whose uncle, John F Kennedy, and father, Robert F Kennedy, were both assassinated, announced he saw no viable path to the White House ahead of the November 8 general election.
Before welcoming RFK Jr to the stage on Friday, Trump promised, if elected, to release all remaining documents relating to the 1963 assassination of President John F Kennedy.
