Washington, D.C. – Today, MoveOn Political Action highlights a report from the Wall Street Journal detailing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s flailing presidential campaign. Between multiple ballot access lawsuits and failing fundraising numbers, RFK Jr.'s campaign is under water and struggling to justify its existence.
Read excerpts below.
Wall Street Journal: RFK Jr.’s 2024 Presidential Campaign Window Is Closing
By Natalie Andrews, Jimmy Vielkind, and Elizabeth Findell, August 12
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ability to run a competitive presidential campaign appears to be in free fall.
Kennedy’s support in national polls, already slipping before President Biden ended his re-election bid, has dropped even further since Vice President Kamala Harris emerged as the Democrats’ standard-bearer. He has faced many controversies, from a sexual-assault allegation to a photo of him with a barbecued dog. This week, he acknowledged leaving a dead bear cub in Central Park in 2014 as a prank. He has barely been seen on the campaign trail.
The third-party candidate is on the ballot in 17 states after qualifying for Texas on Thursday. He is unlikely to participate in any debates with Harris and former President Donald Trump. His campaign says he will be on more ballots by the end of the summer, though he faces costly legal challenges to do so.
[...]
Kennedy has denied reports that he has discussed with Trump the possibility of endorsing the Republican in exchange for an administration position. Asked Wednesday what he wants his campaign to accomplish, Kennedy replied: “I only have one intention, which is to get to the White House.”
[..]
Kennedy spent most of the week at a state courtroom in Albany, N.Y., as a witness in a challenge to his claims of legal residency in New York. The suit, brought by a group of voters and supported by a Democratic-aligned political-action committee, says Kennedy’s legal residence is actually in California.
[...]
The campaign had raised roughly $52 million through June 30, according to federal campaign-finance reports, and Shanahan had donated about $12.6 million to it. Supporters who have given the maximum $6,600 donation include entertainment-industry figures, entrepreneurs and wellness experts.
Unlike most past independent candidates, Kennedy has enjoyed the support of PACs and a joint fundraising agreement with the Libertarian party. For the Kennedy-aligned American Values 2024 super PAC, $25 million has come from billionaire Tim Mellon, who also contributes heavily to Republicans.
[...]
Some polls suggest Kennedy takes more voters away from Trump than he does from Harris. But Democrats say that the conservatives backing the PAC are a sign Kennedy is running to pull support away from Harris.
“RFK Jr. was recruited to run by MAGA Republicans, he’s being propped up by Trump’s largest donor, and his own campaign staff has said their goal is to hurt Democrats,” said Matt Corridoni, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “If he stays in this race, it’ll only be so he can continue to serve as Trump’s useful idiot.”