Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, told Newsmax that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to run as an independent could harm President Joe Biden.
Appearing Friday on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren," Schlapp discussed Kennedy's reported decision to cancel a primary challenge and run as an independent or third party in the general election.
"The initial thing on Twitter, you see everyone out there saying, 'This is going to hurt Joe Biden,' because Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ... is a Democrat, comes from the most famous American Democratic family."
However, Schlapp acknowledged, Kennedy "has taken some positions that a lot of conservatives like," including opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and illegal immigration.
"I think it's a very open question as to who it harms. My guess is it really harms Biden," Schlapp concluded. "It just sends another message to this Democratic coalition [that] it's pretty fractured. It's pretty fragile. I think it could break up."
Kennedy, 69, whose campaign has struggled to gain recognition by the Democratic National Committee, is expected to announce his independent bid on Oct. 9 in Philadelphia.
"Bobby feels that the DNC is changing the rules to exclude his candidacy, so an independent run is the only way to go," a Kennedy campaign insider told Mediaite this week.
The contender posted a video on X hours later confirming that he would be in Philadelphia to make an announcement but refusing to indicate what it was for.
"I'm not going to tell you right now exactly what that announcement will be," Kennedy stated. "I can say, though, that if you've been waiting to come to one of my public events, this will be the one to come to."
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Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
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