By Stephanie Kelly
(Reuters) – Republicans paint independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr as a radical liberal, and Democrats say he is being funded and manipulated by right-wing donors to hurt the US president Joe Biden‘s re-election bid. But interviews with Kennedy supporters show that they are not interested in labels, especially those prescribed by the major political parties they left behind.
Kennedy draws supporters from both sides of the political divide. Some voted for the Republican candidate Donald Trump in the last two elections, but now support Kennedy. Others are disillusioned progressives willing to push aside Biden, the incumbent president. Most see Kennedy, a scion of the famous Democratic family, as he portrays himself: a rare truth-teller who is committed to tackling corruption and powerful lobby groups in Washington.
In a recent Reuters poll, Kennedy, an environmental lawyer who has spread vaccine misinformation, was supported by 13% of respondents in a showdown between him, Biden and Trump. Kennedy says he is not against vaccines, but in favor of stricter testing of vaccines.
It is not yet clear whether Kennedy would pull more votes from Biden or Trump. His supporters have a wide range of political beliefs and voting histories.
Below are excerpts from Reuters interviews with seven Kennedy supporters from across the US, including in the battleground states of Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina.
And no, Kennedy’s reported brain worm did not waver in their support.
A FORMER TRUMP FAN IN NEVADA
Arnetha Saulsbury, a 49-year-old claims specialist from Las Vegas, Nevada, voted for Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. She says her main news sources are CNN, Fox, various podcasters and social media platform X.
Why she supports RFK Jr: “The biggest thing that helped me was his strength on COVID accountability. With the lockdowns, has anyone been held responsible for that? How much money was lost during that period, the inflation, that spending package? .. No one should be forced to take a one-size-fits-all (vaccine).”
‘Do I get my way with him every time he wins office? Probably not. But the most important thing he’s going to win me over is that COVID responsibility.”
How and when she heard about RFK Jr: “You know that saying, that you can have Trump fatigue? That’s me… RFK Jr is a better Trump without all the chaos that comes with it. He doesn’t need to go on social media crying all day (Trump has) pride, narcissism, pettiness, infighting with good, strong conservatives.
“When I saw Ron DeSantis and RFK Jr., I said, ‘In a perfect world, these two will be a team.’ I would still have voted for RFK Jr even if he had a “D” (Democrat) in his name because I don’t care about the titles.”
A PREVIOUS BIDEN BACKER
Juan Schaar, a 37-year-old software developer from Raleigh, North Carolina, who voted for Biden in the 2020 election. He did not vote in the 2016 elections because he was not yet eligible. He says he tries to get his news ‘from the horse’s mouth’ as much as possible.
Why he supports RFK Jr: “He points out this corrupt system we have where the pharmaceutical industry controls the regulatory agencies that are supposed to regulate them. The same goes for the (Environmental Protection Agency) with fossil fuels. Big Ag runs the (All these federal agencies that are there to protect the American people from breaking laws or enforcing standards are essentially working for these big corporations through corruption.
“It (Democratic National Committee) has become a party that is pro-war, pro-censorship and elitism. It is more interested in protecting the interests of corporations and corporate donors.”
How and when he met RFK Jr: “One of my good friends is a manager at a health food store. And he kept saying Kennedy and I defended Biden the whole time. And then I started listening to Kennedy, especially on podcasts and the long interviews he does. I just found everything he said fascinating.”
“The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was when the Democrats essentially anointed Biden and decided not to have real primaries, but debates.”
A TEXAN CONSERVATIVE
Mark Whittingslow, a 55-year-old project engineer from the Houston, Texas, area who voted for Trump in the past two elections. He says he gets his news from local news outlets, search engines like MSN and Google and social media platforms.
Why he supports RFK Jr: “It’s mainly the idea of an honest government. I don’t feel like we’ve ever really had that in my lifetime, and for someone to come into that office and promise to be transparent about what our government is doing. ” what they do and say and the policies they pursue… I would be willing to support RFK Jr even if he is not a conservative.”
“I think he has a very unique approach (with the federal deficit) and in combination with chronic health and chronic diseases and just the overall health of the public.”
How and when he heard about RFK Jr: “When he announced his candidacy, I started looking into it further and his NewsNation town hall (in June 2023) was really the first time I got a sense of what his message was. “
“If Kennedy were not in the picture, I would vote for Trump.”
AN EX-GREEN PARTY VOTER FROM MICHIGAN
Matthew McCloskey, a 26-year-old welfare consultant in Holland, Michigan, voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the 2016 election and endorsed former Democratic primary candidate Andrew Yang in the 2020 election. He says he gets his news from social media platform X, The Hill, CNN, journalist Lee Camp and podcasts.
Why he supports RFK Jr: “I voted here in our Michigan primary as an undecided voter, so that was probably my last vote as a Democrat, and I’m attracted to absolutely anyone in any party who has disaffected voters like me speaks.”
“The DNC is not listening to their own voters. If the DNC had opened up their primaries, made them competitive and a little more democratic, I definitely would have been behind them.”
“To me, foreign policy is of great importance. We must reassess what it means to be an American. Peace through diplomacy and not military force.”
How and when he heard about RFK Jr: “It was on Facebook. It was shared in an Andrew Yang group that RFK Jr was planning to announce his run for president. And so I set a reminder to do it live streaming and I did and at first I didn’t really understand how important he was or how big his legacy was. But when I listened to him I could see that this man really understands what we stand for as a country. He knows how he must bring people together.”
A FORMER DEMOCRAT FROM NEW YORK
Kevin Nally, a 68-year-old systems administrator in Rochester, New York who voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and Biden in the 2020 election. He says he gets his news from NewsNation, local and national news on NBC and CBS , Reuters, NPR, The Joe Rogan Experience, Tucker Carlson, The Hill, Valuetainment, comedian Russell Brand and social media platform X.
Why he supports RFK Jr: “He is not in that party structure. Those political parties are authoritarian and do not allow dissent. Anyone who speaks out against the Democratic Orthodox will be kicked out. Bernie Sanders was kicked out because he was against Hillary Clinton… I think an independent voice in there and someone who is not tied to this systemic problem is exactly what we need.”
How and when he heard about RFK Jr: “It was probably about a year ago. My son, who is 36… he pointed me to different YouTube videos and things like that, pointing out the misinformation that our government is telling us. A lot of these stories that the government is telling us are really not true.”
“I think Trump is better than Biden right now. I can’t believe I’m saying that. (Trump) is a narcissist who only cares about himself… But it just drives me crazy to see what’s going on. our southern border.”
A RETIRED TEACHER IN CALIFORNIA
Evelyn Burnett, a 79-year-old retired teacher in California’s Sierra Foothills, who voted for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson in the 2016 election and Biden in the 2020 election. She says she gets her news from AllSides, Fox, Newsmax, CNN and podcasts.
Why she supports RFK Jr: “I agree with him about fighting corporate greed and fighting the takeover of farms, big corporations, which is so destructive to the environment.”
How and when she heard about RFK Jr: “When I was 15, I went with my sister-in-law to help John Kennedy’s campaign in New York City… In 1968 I volunteered to work for Robert Kennedy Sr because he is running for president.”
“When I saw that Robert Kennedy Jr. was running, I was still a little skeptical because I was a Democrat and had been listening to MSNBC and the traditional media and all that, and they were all saying he was a conspiracy theorist. So I was too. a bit skeptical until I saw it on (Michael Smerconish last year). And I said to myself, ‘He seems very intelligent, very smart, very honest and a good man.’
A NEW VOTER IN VIRGINIA
Sanjay Paul, a 48-year-old online sociology and psychology instructor in Midlothian, Virginia, who did not vote for any candidate in the 2016 or 2020 elections. He says he gets his news from various sources on YouTube.
Why he supports RFK Jr: “I don’t have any issues with anyone, but my focus will be on supporting RFK Jr, his family legacy. Everything his family has done, his commitment to environmental law.”
“What I like about him is that he is very down to earth, very personal and very warm. I have seen him at two events… He has more of a middle ground, an independent attitude.”
How and when he met RFK Jr: “It was early 2023. I learned about him on YouTube.”
(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell)
