Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Takes Independent Presidential Bid to Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to visit Columbus as part of his presidential campaign tour, following his recent announcement that he would run as an independent candidate rather than a Democrat.
The campaign trail will lead Kennedy to the Marriott in West Chester Township at noon this upcoming Tuesday. This stop is just one among others during his three-day campaign tour that spans across Ohio, Tennessee, and Kentucky. After addressing the attendees near Dayton, Kennedy plans to head to Columbus, where he will give a speech at The Fawcett Center within The Ohio State University’s campus.
Despite hailing from a distinguished Democratic lineage, Kennedy has attracted attention and support from some far-right personalities due to his questioning stance on the COVID vaccine. This includes his association with an unfounded conspiracy theory linking vaccines to autism. This stance has not gone unnoticed, prompting some members of his family to publically disapprove of his candidacy via X, the online platform once known as Twitter.
This Ohio leg of Kennedy’s tour is noteworthy, especially in light of the recent departure of his campaign manager, ex-Mayor of Cleveland, Dennis J. Kucinich. Having made his own presidential attempts in 2004 and 2008, Kucinich had been a part of Kennedy’s campaign team since its inception in April. Notably, it was Kucinich who introduced Kennedy during the Philadelphia event where he proclaimed his intention to run as an independent.
In a discussion last week, Kucinich confirmed his exit from Kennedy’s campaign, choosing not to divulge internal campaign communications, as per a New York Times report. Taking over the reins from Kucinich is Kennedy’s daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox.
Despite his departure, Kucinich spoke highly of the assembled campaign team and expressed confidence in their ability to steer the campaign towards its objectives, urging supporters to remain steadfast.