As RedState reported, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to launch an independent presidential campaign after first challenging Joe Biden for the Democratic Party nomination. 

According to multiple sources, the official announcement will come on October 9th in Pennsylvania.

2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce he will run as an independent on October 9 in Pennsylvania, Mediaite has learned.

Kennedy’s campaign machine is now planning “attack ads” against the Democratic National Committee in order to “pave the way” for his announcement in Philadelphia about running as an independent, according to a text reviewed by Mediaite.

This is not good news for Republicans, and there's empirical evidence to back that up. According to the latest polling, RFK Jr. enjoys a very high approval rating among Republicans while he's extremely disliked by Democrats. 

If this does happen (and it's a big if!) it could easily backfire on the GOP nominee. Kennedy is significantly more popular among Republican voters than among Democrats. QPac poll found him +30 among GOP, -43 among Dems. Siena had him +36 among Trump voters, -35 among Biden. https://t.co/yc3RoxaoKr pic.twitter.com/Xf3IXf6Qs4

— Jacob Rubashkin (@JacobRubashkin) September 29, 2023

I'm not the only one worried about that dynamic either. Several of Donald Trump's biggest boosters are sounding the alarm as well. 

I explain here why RFK running could hurt Trump.

Listen:https://t.co/gojPbhfW4x

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 29, 2023

RFK cant win but he can deny Trump the White House and hand it to Dems https://t.co/GSC3Tu2EAV

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) September 29, 2023

None of this is happening in a vacuum. In fact, the two people I just quoted above were some of RFK Jr.'s biggest promoters, and they are hardly alone on the right. Many conservatives, specifically those skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines, latched onto RFK Jr. very early in the cycle as some kind of anti-establishment figure. In fact, the only reason he has much of a platform today is because of right-wing media.

And with that, I'm just going to say it: I told you so. 

Way back in late April, I delivered a warning about the Republican infatuation with RFK Jr. that pretty much no one heeded. 

With that said, given this is the first article on Kennedy Jr. that I’ve written, I’ll just warn people not to get too enamored with him. Yes, he has found some allies on the right when it comes to the COVID vaccines, but he’s still a radical leftist on essentially everything else, especially in regard to environmental issues. This is a guy who called for those who don’t believe in apocalyptic climate change to be arrested and executed.

When I wrote that, I wasn't talking about those who just wanted to see RFK Jr. cause chaos within the Democratic Party. That was always a worthy goal. I also wasn't talking about those who praised his appearance before Congress regarding government censorship. He said some good things, and it was perfectly legitimate to report on them.

What I'm talking about goes much further. Namely, those who got so enamored that they started suggesting he could be Donald Trump's vice president, among other ridiculous proposals. No one cared about RFK Jr. until Republican commentators and influencers made him a thing. Now, that thing is threatening to cost them the 2024 election by splitting the vote.

In July, I delivered another warning, this time not mincing words. 

This dude literally wanted to put "climate deniers" to death. If you are buying this grift, you deserve what you get. https://t.co/fTqXZEASZK

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 13, 2023

Sure enough, Republicans may get what they deserve. 

The right has to stop going overboard promoting every leftist who just so happens to say something we agree with. Yes, RFK Jr. made some good points about COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but that didn't make him a conservative. All it made him was a far-left liberal who wasn't quite as annoying as most other far-left liberals. 

To be clear, I'm not saying Republicans can't give credit where credit is due. Many Republicans, including myself, lauded Sen. Kyrsten Sinema when she stepped up to protect the filibuster. The difference is that no one has ever suggested she's actually a conservative, much less that she be vice president on a Republican ticket. Conservatives are too easily amused these days. We need to be more discerning and more skeptical. When certain influencers are promoting a Democrat, ask yourself why they are promoting that Democrat. 

We'll see what happens, but RFK Jr. getting in the race is going to suck up precious resources from a Republican electorate that is already seeing most of its money spent on legal bills. You can't play nice with him because that would only encourage further vote splitting on the right while rallying Democrat opposition. But to go on the offensive requires time and money, and those things are in short supply. 

This was an own goal by the right. Perhaps some lessons will be learned.