Ahead of the upcoming US Presidential election, Robert F Kennedy Jr withdrew from the presidential race and declared his intention to support Republican nominee Donald Trump in the polls.
Kennedy as per AP report said his internal polls had shown that his presence in the race would hurt Trump and help Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, though recent public polls don't provide a clear indication that he is having an outsize impact on support for either major-party candidate.
Kennedy also cited free speech, the war in Ukraine and “a war on our children” as among the reasons he would try to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states.
“These are the principal causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent, and now to throw my support to President Trump,” Kennedy was quoted as saying.
Earlier, authorities had reportedly confirmed that Kennedy had submitted the necessary documentation to remove himself from the state's presidential ballot as well.
Kennedy in his address reportedly said, "I am suspending my campaign. I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory."
He added, "I cannot in good conscience ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours or ask my donors to keep giving when I cannot honestly tell them
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and member of a prominent Democratic family suggested that his continued presence in the Presidential race could divide support for former President Trump, who is engaged in a close battle with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris as the November 5 election approaches.
Kennedy, who entered the race in April 2023 to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, initially garnered significant interest from voters dissatisfied with both the aging Biden and the legally troubled Trump. He then decided to run as an independent.
During the February 2024 Super Bowl, Kennedy aired a high-profile advertisement that referenced his father, US Senator Robert F Kennedy, and uncle, US President John F. Kennedy, which drew strong criticism from many members of his well-known family, who denounced his campaign.
At one point, both the Biden and Trump campaigns appeared concerned that Kennedy might attract sufficient support to influence the election's outcome.
