Robert Kennedy Jr. to run as independent candidate, could complicate Trump-Biden race

(Patria) - U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will announce that he is running as an independent candidate instead of continuing his long-standing effort to replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party candidate, which could complicate the 2024 election, Reuters reports.

Kennedy, a member of the famous American political dynasty, released a video on YouTube on Friday asking Americans to join him for a "major announcement" in Philadelphia on October 9.

"I will speak about a major change in American politics," he said, condemning corruption in "both parties."

"How will we defeat the entrenched interests of Washington?" he asked.

"It is not by playing the game" according to the current rules, he said.

Kennedy is the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, and the son of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign.

In April, Kennedy said he would challenge Biden for the Democratic nomination against the Republican candidate, who is expected to be former President Donald Trump.
Since then, Kennedy has complained that the Democratic Party has "essentially merged into a single unit" with Biden's campaign, denying him a fair chance in the nomination race.

Democrats have expressed concern that any third-party bid could siphon votes from Biden (80), who faces concerns about the economy and his age in an expected rematch against the Republican frontrunner and presumed candidate Trump (77).

However, Republicans like Kennedy more than Democrats do, according to a FiveThirtyEight poll, suggesting that Trump's campaign could also be affected.