The Lincoln Project, an anti-Donald Trump Republican super PAC, slammed independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. in a slew of social media posts.
The GOP super PAC frequently shares videos and ads targeting Trump, the 2024 presumptive Republican nominee for president, but took aim at RFK Jr. Wednesday in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter.
RFK Jr., son of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, is an attorney who rose to prominence in recent years for his vocal stance against vaccines. He initially aimed to challenge Biden for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination before switching to an independent in October 2023.
In one post, The Lincoln Project shared a minute-long video that criticized the independent presidential candidate, including Kennedy Jr.'s comments on vaccines.
"Don't let the name fool you," The Lincoln Project wrote on X. "He doesn't carry on the long political tradition of the Kennedy family. Most of the family has endorsed Joe Biden, and the environmental movement is calling for him to drop out."
Don't let the name fool you. He doesn't carry on the long political tradition of the Kennedy family. Most of the family has endorsed Joe Biden, and the environmental movement is calling for him to drop out. pic.twitter.com/ZWNyUzZmJl
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) May 1, 2024
In another post, the super PAC wrote: "RFK Jr is not a serious candidate, but he's a dangerous candidate. A vote for any independent or third party, especially RFK Jr, is simply a vote for a second Trump presidency."
A third post on X, The Lincoln Project accused Kennedy Jr. of backing "dark conspiracy theories" and warned that he would "spoil" the election by pulling votes away from Biden.
"RFK Jr. is a dangerous candidate who embraces dark conspiracy theories and who may spoil the Presidential race in favor of Trump," the super PAC wrote. "His campaign has hired former Trump staffers, is boosted by Trump supporters, and spent today tearing down Joe Biden as a candidate."
Newsweek reached out via email on Wednesday to representatives for Kennedy Jr. for comment.
Ryan Wiggins, chief of staff for The Lincoln Project, told Newsweek on Wednesday night that the Republican super PAC has been supporting Biden's push for reelection since 2022, while offering high praise for the Democratic incumbent.
"He is one of the most successful Presidents in American history, having rebuilt the economy and America's standing around the world," Wiggins said. "President Biden is the only candidate who is dedicated to expanding individual freedoms and supporting democracy. We are proud to stand up and work on his behalf."
When asked about specific concerns The Lincoln Project has regarding Kennedy Jr., Wiggins told Newsweek that the independent has no shot of being elected, saying that "every single poll shows that he has no chance of winning. None."
"What voters need to be concerned about is that RFK [Jr.]—and other third-party candidates—have absolutely zero chance of winning and a vote for them is voting to put Donald Trump back in the Oval Office," Wiggins said. "Trump is pledging to pursue a dangerous agenda that will roll back women's rights and destroy America's standing in the world."
Wiggins said that "every single poll" shows that Kennedy Jr.'s campaign won't be able to outmatch Biden or Trump in November.
"No third party in modern times has ever come close to winning a Presidential election. RFK Jr. has no business as a candidate, he's running to satisfy his ego and need for celebrity, not because there is an overwhelming call for him to be in the race."
Kennedy Jr. is hurting President Joe Biden's chances of reelection more than Trump's in five key battleground states, according to a recent Emerson College/The Hill poll. The survey shows when third-party candidates like RFK Jr. are included, more support is pulled away from Biden than from Trump in the states of Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
RFK Jr. has also been a vocal critic of Biden, saying the president is "absolutely" worse for democracy than the Make American Great Again (MAGA) leader.
During a CNN interview last month, the long-shot presidential candidate accused Biden of "weaponizing" federal agencies to go after his political rivals.
"The greatest threat to democracy is not somebody who questions election returns but a president of the United States who will use the power of his office to force the social media companies Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, to open a portal and give access to that portal to the FBI, CIA, the IRS, the NIH, to censor his political critics," Kennedy Jr. said.
Kennedy Jr., who has also taken jabs at the MAGA leader, said in a recent X post that members of Republican's inner circle asked if he would run as Trump's vice president.
"President Trump calls me an ultra-left radical," Kennedy Jr. wrote on April 15. "I'm soooo liberal that his emissaries asked me to be his VP. I respectfully declined the offer. I am against President Trump, and President Biden can't win. Judging by his new website, it looks like President Trump knows who actually can beat him."
Update 05/01/24, 9 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Wiggins.
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Maura Zurick is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news ... Read more
