Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. reveals his path to the White House, aiming for 33% of the vote in the 2024 election, despite facing pressure from Biden and Trump campaigns.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has unveiled his strategy for securing the White House, aiming to garner 33% of the vote in the 2024 election. Kennedy believes that this threshold is sufficient for victory, as he contends that the race is effectively a five-way contest.
"All we need to do is get to 33% to win the election," Kennedy asserted on EWTN's "World Over" program. "You don't need 50%. It's a three-way race — and it's really a five-way race," he added, referring to independent candidates Dr. Cornel West and Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein.
According to Kennedy, internal polling suggests he has already approached the 33% target in several states. He also claims an advantage over President Biden and former President Donald Trump among young voters.
Recent public polls align with Kennedy's claims, showing him outperforming previous third-party candidates in decades, particularly with voters under the age of 35. A Quinnipiac poll conducted last week placed Kennedy at 16% support overall, while Trump and Biden garnered 37% each. Notably, Kennedy drew significant support from younger voters, garnering 19% among those aged 18-34, though he still trailed Trump (34%) and Biden (30%) in this demographic.
However, a Quinnipiac poll from last fall revealed that Kennedy had surpassed Trump and Biden with voters aged 18-34, obtaining 39% support to their respective 27% and 32%. However, that poll did not account for West and Stein.
Concerned about Kennedy's appeal to young and Latino voters, Democratic strategist Ben Tulchin has expressed apprehension over Biden's chances of re-election.
"Young voters and Latinos respond really well to a hard-edge economic populist message — and that is not Biden’s message," Tulchin remarked to The New York Times. "They’re dissatisfied about the political and economic status quo. And I see in that mind-set the potential opening to support a third-party candidate," he stated.
In response to the mounting threat posed by Kennedy, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has initiated an effort to silence such challenges, targeting Kennedy specifically with legal challenges and opposition research. Meanwhile, Trump has denounced Kennedy as a "wasted protest vote" and his campaign has launched a website labeling him as a "radical f-----g Kennedy," portraying him as an associate of left-wing extremists.
To further undermine Kennedy's candidacy, Biden has appeared alongside six members of the Kennedy family who endorsed him over their own relative, a clear attempt to diminish his credibility. Both parties have also accused Kennedy of being a "plant" to aid the opposing side, a claim he firmly refutes.
As the 2024 election draws closer, RFK Jr.'s third-party candidacy remains a significant wildcard, capable of potentially swaying the results. His strong showing in the polls and appeal to young voters could disrupt the traditional two-party system and make the race more competitive. However, the challenges he faces from both the Biden and Trump campaigns could determine the ultimate impact of his presence in the race.
