Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sunday used a Super Bowl ad to confirm his independent presidential run, further solidifying his decision to run as a third-party candidate after ditching the Democrats.
What Happened: A super PAC supporting Kennedy ran a campaign ad during the Super Bowl, confirming his independent presidential run. The ad, a remake of his uncle’s famous 1960 presidential campaign ad, urged viewers to “vote independent” and “vote Kennedy.”
The $7 million ad, which aired during the Super Bowl, was a nostalgic throwback to the 1960s, featuring the Kennedy family and a strong “Fallout” theme.
With this confirmation, Kennedy is set to run as a third-party candidate against Joe Biden of the Democrats and likely Donald Trump representing the Republicans.
On Friday, The Democratic National Committee (DNC) alleged that independent presidential candidate RFK Jr. and his allied super PAC are illegally coordinating, accusing them of receiving improper benefits. The DNC lodged a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), arguing that American Values 2024’s practice of hiring signature-gathering vendors and helping Kennedy appear on the ballot in key battleground states breaches federal election rules. RFK Jr. rejected the DNC’s claims, stating the Democratic Party is in decline and shifting the focus onto others.
Why It Matters: This move further solidifies Kennedy’s decision to run as an independent. Earlier, Kennedy had made it clear that he was not interested in becoming the vice president pick for Trump, despite being approached by Trump’s campaign team.
Moreover, the Super Bowl ad spot, which on average cost $7 million, is considered a significant investment to gain customer attention, as highlighted by VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk. He believes there is no better bet to gain customer attention than to have an advertisement at the Super Bowl championship. This move by Kennedy to use the Super Bowl ad to confirm his independent run is a strategic one, given the high viewership and attention the Super Bowl ads receive.
Meanwhile, the Super Bowl was not without its technical glitches, with Paramount+ users encountering issues such as slow loading, frozen screens, and audio problems.
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Photo via Shutterstock
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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