During an interview with podcast host Theo Von last week, Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. explained that a decision about whether he will run as a Democrat or independent depends on whether the Democratic National Committee gives him a fair shot at winning the nomination.
Given this hasn’t happened, according to RFK Jr., he’d then look at running outside the party.
“I’m hoping that they’ll open up the process and let me run,” he said, noting that his campaign conducted polling on his chances if President Biden steps down. “We have a pretty clear path to the nomination, my numbers are better than any other Democrats including the vice president, Kamala Harris.”
“If he stays in and they give me a fair fight I think I can beat him,” he added, explaining that he’d take a sizable number of Republican and independent voters.
He also denied being a Trojan horse used by the Right to weaken Biden’s candidacy, since if he were to run as an independent, he’d end up hurting the Republican Party, as he claims he’d take more votes from former President Trump than he would from Biden.
Bobby Kennedy is expected to run as an independent. Check out what he told Theo Von last week.
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 1, 2023
"I take more votes from President Trump than I do President Biden." pic.twitter.com/oo9Vm0ckWE
The interview came days before Mediaite reported that RFK Jr. plans to announce he will run as an independent on Oct. 9 in Pennsylvania.
“Bobby feels that the DNC is changing the rules to exclude his candidacy so an independent run is the only way to go,” an insider from Kennedy's campaign told the outlet.
Kennedy Jr. also teased a major announcement.
Save the Date, Save the Country. #Kennedy24 pic.twitter.com/rSSs7flPKa
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) September 29, 2023
The relevant portion of his interview with Theo Von begins around 1:01:30: