Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a campaign for the 2024 presidential election, making him the second Democrat to challenge President Joe Biden for the party’s nomination.
The 69-year-old son of the assassinated Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy made his candidacy official with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
He joins self-help guru Marianne Williamson, who also ran in the 2020 primary, on the roster of Democratic candidates. President Joe Biden has not yet confirmed a bid for a second term, but he is widely expected to run again.
Kennedy floated the possibility of a run for president on Twitter last month, saying, “If it looks like I can raise the money and mobilize enough people to win, I’ll jump in the race.”
“If I run, my top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class, polluted our landscapes and waters, poisoned our children, and robbed us of our values and freedoms,” he added. “Together we can restore America’s democracy.”
Kennedy, who has not previously held public office, has long been a noted vaccine skeptic. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he published books accusing elites and government officials of exploiting the crisis and covering up its origins. He was banned from Instagram in 2021 for ”repeatedly sharing debunked claims,” a spokesperson said, as reported by CNN.
On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump is mounting his third campaign for president while facing dozens of criminal charges in Manhattan and several other investigations. His most widely anticipated party rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has not yet announced a campaign.
Other Republicans who have thrown their hat in the ring include former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
