Pro-crypto candidate for the United States presidency Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., often known simply as RFK Jr., announced on Oct. 9 at a rally in Philadelphia that he was dropping his bid for nomination in the Democratic primary to run as an independent instead. “I’m here to declare myself an independent candidate,” he said.
Kennedy has been a supporter of crypto, and he stated that one of the goals of his administration would be “making America the global hub of cryptocurrency, particularly Bitcoin.” He revealed plans in July to back the USD with “hard currency,” such as gold, silver, platinum and Bitcoin
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Kennedy was also a vocal opponent of the Federal Reserve’s FedNow instant payment system, equating it with a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and stating in a Twitter (now X) post that “CBDCs grease the slippery slope to financial slavery and political tyranny” and there was an “obvious danger that this is the first step in banning and seizing bitcoin.” The U.S. Federal Reserve Board later launched a public-awareness campaign to differentiate FedNow from CBDC.
I’m ready for tomorrow, are you? Catch my livestream from 12-2pm tomorrow:https://t.co/r40WRqz8zw pic.twitter.com/bSxVuNPL2U
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) October 9, 2023
Kennedy had been teasing his decision for several days. The super-PAC (political action committee) supporting him, American Values 2024, released polling results on Oct. 2 that, it claimed, showed he would be the strongest independent candidate in the modern history of U.S. elections, with the support of 19% of the electorate. That is compared to 38% support for U.S. President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump.
Hundreds of independent candidates have declared their candidacy in the 2024 presidential race, but few of them have attracted widespread notice. The only remaining democratic party challenger to Biden is now writer Marianne Williamson.
Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. Today’s announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country. @roryekennedy @joekennedy @KKT_Kennedy pic.twitter.com/WJfGwSxN1z
— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) October 9, 2023
The Kennedy name has been closely associated with the Democratic Party for generations, but RFK Jr.’s positions on a variety of issues, such as his opposition to vaccines, have alienated him from the party mainstream and his own family.
Related: One less crypto-friendly candidate — Miami mayor ends US presidential run
Kennedy’s views on crypto were often comparable to those of Republican presidential contender and Florida governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis shared Kennedy’s antipathy for FedNow and CBDC, as well as his support for Bitcoin. Polls show DeSantis running a distant second to Trump for the Republican primary nomination.
With Biden and Trump leading the polls for the two main U.S. parties, it seems possible the next president will be a crypto opponent who supports CBDC, despite suggestions within the industry that crypto will be a decisive issue for voters in the 2024 presidential election.
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