Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign is disappearing both on the trail and in the polls.
Kennedy’s last public event was on July 9 in Freeport, Maine. Kennedy has since spoken virtually and spoken at a cryptocurrency conference and events held by others, but he hasn’t immersed himself in the campaign. (He spoke to reporters in person the day President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.) And it’s been months since his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, held a public event on the campaign trail.
Kennedy’s public poll numbers are down from about 9% or 10% in national polls before Biden’s exit to about half that level now. His latest finance report showed the campaign owed more than half of the $5.6 million it had in the bank. On a media call last week, Kennedy said Democrats and Republicans were coming together to make it “insurmountable” for an independent to get on the ballot in all 50 states — something he and his campaign had previously talked about, not when.
When Kennedy has been in the public eye lately, it has been for bad reasons. Vanity Fair reported in July that Kennedy groped the former family nanny, Eliza Cooney, in 1999. Kennedy sent text messages to Cooney a few days after the article was published, apologizing and saying he still had “no recollection of the incident.”
Before the publication of a New Yorker profile featuring the story, Kennedy revealed that years ago he decided to pick up a dead bear on the side of the road and then stage a bicycle accident with it in New York’s Central Park.
Overall, the campaign isn’t looking good for Kennedy, it’s getting worse, raising questions about how much of an impact he will have on the 2024 election. Vice President Kamala Harris’ capture of the Democratic nomination appears to have somewhat weakened Kennedy’s appeal to disaffected voters, and he has recently spoken candidly about Trump and spoken directly to him on several occasions. Kennedy said at a live event last week before his keynote speech at the Bitcoin Conference that he thinks Trump is “likely to be the next president.”
The Kennedy campaign did not respond to questions about this article.
The appearance of the Bitcoin Conference was typical of Kennedy’s recent schedule. He holds virtual events and speaks at various conferences held by entities other than his campaign, such as the Inman Connect conference in Las Vegas. Kennedy has not publicly announced upcoming rallies on his website.
Kennedy also canceled a scheduled appearance at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, citing security concerns. A spokesperson for the campaign told NBC News that it was “unable to secure an indoor scene to meet our security requirements for Mr. Kennedy’s safety.”
Kennedy was protected by the Secret Service after the assassination attempt against Trump in mid-July.
It was one of several events that changed the campaign, with Kennedy taking a backseat to Biden’s departure as a 2024 foil. Kennedy was to spend the entire week of the Republican National Convention campaigning in the battleground state of Wisconsin. Those events were canceled because Kennedy met and spoke with Trump that week.
On the morning of July 16, during the convention, Kennedy’s son Bobby Kennedy III posted a video of the X call in which his father discussed vaccines and children with Trump. Trump could also be heard telling Kennedy, “I would like you to do something, and I think it would be very good for you and very big for you.”
The video was deleted soon after it was posted. The Kennedy and Trump campaigns have not commented or elaborated on whether Trump made a specific offer to Kennedy.
Meanwhile, some high-profile supporters have abandoned Kennedy in recent months. Lori Spencer, a longtime Kennedy supporter, Posted in X Vanity Fair said shortly after the article was published that it “absolutely cannot and will not defend this behavior.”
When asked if other women could tell stories of his inappropriate behavior, Kennedy The Boston Globe“I don’t know. We will see what will happen.”
He has also gained some supporters in recent weeks. Kennedy posted a video On August 2, actor and comedian Russell Brand, who has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women, announced his endorsement. Podcast host Joe Rogan also declared himself a Kennedy “fan” on his widely-watched show.
Recently, Kennedy’s time was taken up by a New York court in connection with his efforts to obtain a ballot in the state. A Democratic-aligned group is suing Kennedy over the address he claimed as his residence on his ballot access application forms. Kennedy currently lives in California with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, but during his testimony, he said the couple always intended to return to New York.
If the judge rules against Kennedy, he could be barred from appearing on the New York state ballot in November. This will be the first state where Kennedy is not on the general election ballot.
“Whatever this court does, we’re going to win the appeal,” Kennedy told reporters Wednesday.