Rory Kennedy is raising concerns the long-shot presidential bid of her brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., could torpedo President Biden’s reelection chances and put Republican Donald Trump back in the White House.
Members of the extended Kennedy clan have started ramping up efforts to put a check on one of their own in the name of protecting the family’s Democratic political dynasty and preventing Mr. Trump from securing a return ticket to the White House.
“I think this election is going to happen in a handful of states, and the votes are going to be very small in terms of what is going to elect the next president of the United States. And so siphoning votes [away from] Biden could most definitely lead to Trump’s election,” Ms. Kennedy, a documentary filmmaker and the youngest daughter of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, said Monday on MSNBC.
But Mr. Kennedy, a 70-year-old environmental lawyer who has attracted the most attention so far for his skeptical attitude on vaccines, has shown no signs of pulling the plug on his third-party bid for the White House.
Dismissing concerns he could play the role of spoiler, Mr. Kennedy has qualified for the ballot in some states and plans to add to the list over the coming months. He plans to announce his vice presidential pick next week.
Analysts are divided on how his entry could affect the race, but the Biden camp has shown far more signs of concern so far that he will cost the president more votes than Mr. Trump.
The Democratic National Committee has already created a team focused on taking some wind out of the sails of independent and third-party contenders.