Democrats are strongly opposing Kennedy’s potential spoiler campaign

Democrats are actively working to prevent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from becoming a spoiler in President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign this fall. They are urging his relatives to endorse the president and warning the public that supporting Kennedy’s independent bid could ultimately benefit former President Donald Trump in reclaiming the White House.

“There’s no education in the second kick of the mule,” Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright, a Biden campaign adviser, told The Hill. “In 2016, we saw the impact that third-party candidates had on the election, and we also saw potentially a fault line of not educating enough [about] what votes for those candidates could mean long term for the country.”

Seawright pointed out that the repercussions of the 2016 election, where Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, are still being felt in 2024.

In recent developments, Kennedy has decided to continue his independent run rather than joining the Libertarian Party ticket and has chosen wealthy running mate Nicole Shanahan.

These decisions have raised concerns among Democrats. By not running as a Libertarian, Kennedy avoids tapping into Trump’s voter base and instead potentially draws from Biden’s. Additionally, his financial stability eliminates the burden of funding ballot access efforts.

The Democratic National Committee has established a department to counter Kennedy’s campaign.

“There will be a clear choice facing voters this November and the more they learn about RFK Jr., the more they will recognize that a vote for him is a vote for Donald Trump,” said DNC spokesperson Matt Corridoni. “We’re going to make sure he’s playing by the rules and we’re going to make sure voters are educated about his extreme positions and who is propping up his spoiler candidacy.”

Kennedy is on nine ballots, including key battleground states like Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, and North Carolina.

While Kennedy’s support base is not clearly defined, Democrats fear he will draw from Biden’s base. Seawright emphasized the necessity for “base consolidation” at this stage of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Shanahan, a wealthy tech patent attorney and multimillionaire, recently injected $2 million into Kennedy’s campaign after being named his running mate.

Although Kennedy denied selecting Shanahan for her financial resources, Democrats criticize the move, accusing him of choosing her to aid in funding his nationwide ballot access efforts.

“We’re going to add probably two to three states a week,” Kennedy stated after securing a spot on Michigan’s ballot.

Democrats are also striving to draw a connection between Kennedy and Trump, particularly emphasizing Kennedy’s views on vaccines and his skepticism towards scientific and medical advancements.

Trump has expressed his familiarity with Kennedy, stating that he knows him “very well” and predicting that his campaign will harm Biden’s chances.