(RepublicanPress.org) – While the nominees for the 2024 presidential election aren’t official yet, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have each earned enough delegates to secure their names on the ticket. But there’s a third-party candidate who might draw votes from both sides. A recent announcement from the Independent candidate may have started making at least some people nervous.
On March 26, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his running mate for 2024 — Attorney Nicole Shanahan. Some Democrats appeared rattled by the news. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) said Kennedy should be “ashamed of himself” for continuing his quest for the presidency. The lawmaker called for him to drop out of the race.
Democrats are stepping up criticism of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he announced his pick of Nicole Shanahan for vice president, arguing the duo will benefit Donald Trump, including Rep. Robert Garcia, who said he's "offended and disgusted" by his campaign. https://t.co/gSDxAAL8f4
— The Hill (@thehill) March 27, 2024
Others called him a “spoiler” strategically planted in place by Trump supporters to pull votes away from Biden. Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow said Kennedy staying in the race could mean victory for Trump. She said, “We can’t afford to go backward.”
Soon after his running mate announcement, the pro-Biden Clear Choice super PAC reportedly started releasing ads linking Kennedy and Trump. The group also threw up a website aimed at the independent candidate, stating he is divisive, a conspiracy theorist, against vaccines, and a bigot.
Democrats aren’t the only ones who seem worried about the impact Kennedy will have on the 2024 election. The pro-Trump Make America Great Again super PAC called the candidate a “far-left radical,” slamming him for backing the “Green New Deal” and a fracking ban.
While it’s unlikely that Kennedy will win in the general election, a third-party candidate has never won the presidency, polling averages reported by The Hill showed him pulling 9.3%. With the predicted close race between Biden and Trump this November, that percentage could reasonably make a difference either way. Whether Kennedy’s candidacy potentially helps Trump or Biden in the general election is ultimately up to the voters.
Copyright 2024, RepublicanPress.org
