It appears the Republican party is closing ranks as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., announced his intention to run as an independent for New York Governor.
Kennedy, the son of the former U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert Kennedy, has been a vocal detractor of current Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and has been harshly critical of the governor’s taxes and economic policies.
As Kennedy prepares to launch his campaign, however, the Republican Party is taking a decidedly antipathetic view of the move, with some calling it misguided and others calling it a desperate political move.
Kennedy’s campaign is likely to siphon off votes from Republican candidates already vying for the seat, Republicans contend, and Pope County GOP Chairman Robert Bishop has asserted that Kennedy’s candidacy is a “pathetic attempt” to gain attention.
“Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is launching an independent bid for governor in a misguided effort to gain attention for himself. He’s running against an incumbent Democratic governor who is already in the pocket of the leftist extreme and against an unpopular Republican candidate who was chosen by party leaders in an attempt to select a ‘safe’ candidate. This stunts the chances of any Republican gaining the governorship and is a disservice to the Republican Party,” Bishop said.
Kennedy, however, believes he is the one person with the credentials to bring real change to the state.
“I think people are really thirsting for new leaders who don’t come out of politics and who don’t owe obligations to the political machines and special interests,” Kennedy said in a statement. “I’m running as an independent governor to bring real reform to Albany.”
It remains to be seen which way the vote will go in November, but one thing is certain: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is facing an uphill battle as the Republican Party does not appear to be standing in support of the independent candidate.
