By: Andreu Beltran
Robert Kennedy Jr. was a candidate in the 2024 Presidential election before dropping out in August. While on paper his pro-choice, anti-proxy war, and pro-small business beliefs seemingly should appeal to Democratic voters, Kennedy’s campaign suffered from a lack of funding and support from the Democratic Party immediately before he dropped out. His “anti-vax” conspiracies played a large role in his demise, demonstrating his radical political views that align with some Republican values.
His love for public service has been apparent since he worked as Robert F. Kennedy’s Attorney General and close advisor, leading a drive against organized crime and studying poverty in urban ghettos. He also joined Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in the mid 80s, two nonprofits dedicated to environmental justice.
However, Kennedy is characteristically against vaccines. He incorrectly called the COVID vaccine “the deadliest vaccine ever made” and preached anti-vaccine propaganda to the Samoan government when measles broke out there, causing more than 5,700 people to grow sick.
Kennedy’s fundamentals are in the right place as he endorses policies that support civil rights. However, his anti-vaccine propaganda is likely what led to his demise in the 2024 Presidential election. Kennedy’s policies reflect the nature of this election: all of the candidates have radical viewpoints that put off voters, and thus it is hard to tell a clear winner yet.
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