Dem
47
GOP
53
In 2024, Robert Kennedy Jr. formed a political party, We the People, and got it on the ballot in a number of states before making a deal with Donald Trump to support him in return for a cabinet position. Now a number of Kennedy's supporters are relaunching the party, potentially to allow Kennedy to run for president again in 2028. This is useful as a vehicle because in many states, it is easier for a political party to get on the ballot than an independent candidate. In 2024, We the People was on the ballot in 31 states. The initial goal this time is to get on the ballot in 26 states, then later, all the states.
One potential complication is that Laura Loomer, who wields a great deal of influence with Donald Trump, detests Kennedy and has called him a Marxist. She also has said Kennedy is Trump's worst cabinet pick. If she can convince Trump to do everything he can to scuttle Kennedy, it would probably slow down RFK's march to a potential 2028 campaign.
A short-term goal for We the People is to run a candidate for governor of New York in 2026. If the candidate gets enough votes, the party will get a ballot line in 2028. The candidate in question is Larry Sharpe, a former Libertarian, who has twice before run for governor of New York. He didn't win either time. Sharpe said a unifying theme for We the People is its distrust of both Democrats and Republicans. However, the party itself lacks any ideological underpinnings. It is just anti-establishment. That means it really doesn't stand for anything.
The party chairman, Oregon organic farmer Levi Leatherberry, is trying to enlist DNI Tulsi Gabbard to help the party. A spokesperson for Gabbard declined to comment about the matter.
It is hard to say which party would be hurt more by a Kennedy candidacy on the We the People ticket. There are anti-vaxxers on the left who believe in "nature" and don't trust big pharma. But there are also anti-vaxxers on the right who believe the deep state is putting microchips in vaccines to control people. And there are also a lot of people who think Kennedy is completely kooky. He has just about zero chance of winning any states, but if he pulls slightly more votes from one party or the other, that could tip a swing state. It is hard to say if he might be a spoiler and, if so, whom he might spoil. (V)