And Then There Were Three

By RedState Guest Editorial | 11:40 AM on March 21, 2024

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.

Will America elect a third-party candidate in 2024?

While President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump go head to head in a rematch of the 2020 election, one likely candidate has been making all the right moves to secure a firm seat between the two presumptive contenders for the 2024 election.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running for POTUS on an Independent ticket, specifically the "We the People" party. He is the son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. The Kennedy dynasty still runs strong, being a name that carries the weight of its rich yet tragic history.

RFK Jr. is expected to announce his running mate on March 26. This may be the make-or-break moment for the candidate. Nicole Shanahan seems to be the stand-out choice, whispers are carrying along both sides of the aisle. While both Democrats and Republicans are not necessarily excited about their candidates in the two-party system, Kennedy may be able to make history in 2024. Too conservative to be considered liberal, too liberal to be considered conservative, this must be a well-thought-out appointment.

Kennedy is extremely popular among anti-vaxxers, human rights activists, and environmentalists alike. The son of Robert F. Kennedy, a lawyer, senator, and presidential candidate, and Ethel, a human rights activist, Kennedy Jr. followed in their footsteps as a successful lawyer in Manhattan and activist.

As a youth, he struggled with drug abuse, which eventually culminated in an overdose of heroin. He entered a treatment program and was sentenced to community service and two years probation, where he began his career as an environmentalist activist working with Riverkeepers. It was also at this time that he began fighting Big Pharma for using mercury and other harmful agents in the medications they produced, filing and winning multiple lawsuits against the corporate giants.

Kennedy, 70, is palatable to some on both sides of the current two-party system who find Trump, 77, and Biden, 81, undesirable — Trump for his gruff demeanor and Biden for his lack of cognitive ability and fitness for the Oval Office.

'Fake News': Trump Campaign Slaps Down Rumors of Choosing RFK Jr. As Running Mate

A third party has never succeeded in a presidential campaign. Instances where a third party has won a significant number of states have only occurred five times in US history between 1892 and 1992. Typically, a third-party candidate has done little but serve as a siphon for one candidate or the other. Regarding the 2024 election, it is believed that Kennedy would be winning votes primarily from Biden supporters. It is not clear, however, that Kennedy could win the electorate and become the 47th President of the United States.

Jen Ennenbach is a Christian, wife, and mother of two whom she homeschooled. She has been active in US politics since 2009, when she became the media liaison for the St. Louis Tea Party. She later went on to run a podcast as well as assisting on campaigns in the general elections. She is currently a board member of Show Me Trump.