AUSTIN, Texas – Robert F Kennedy Jr. started the following part in his bid for the presidency by saying Nicole Shanahan as his working mate.
Democratic analyst Ed Espinoza and Matt Mackowiak, chair of the Travis County GOP, joined FOX 7 Austin’s Rebecca Thomas to debate Kennedy’s potential impression on the 2024 election.
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Rebecca Thomas: So Ed, the Kennedy identify has numerous foreign money within the Democratic Social gathering. May his marketing campaign doubtlessly snag a part of President Biden’s base?
Ed Espinoza: Properly, I believe that is the intent of his candidacy. Robert F Kennedy isn’t working to be president and he won’t be president. He is working to erode a few of Biden’s base of help. And that is evidenced utterly by the truth that the tremendous PAC supporting Robert F Kennedy is funded by rich Republican donors, Republican donors which have given greater than $20 million to that tremendous PAC in an effort to get Robert F Kennedy on the poll in order that he can siphon off votes away from Biden. It is a Donald Trump supporter doing this stuff. And take a look at the states the place he is on the poll. Nevada. Arizona. Georgia. Michigan. That is what they’re aiming to do, is to get on the poll in these states that have been determined by, in some instances, some extent or much less to attempt to profit Donald Trump. He is not working to be president. Robert F Kennedy is working for Donald Trump to be president.
Rebecca Thomas: Matt, RFK Jr. has alienated conventional Democrats with a few of his views, particularly regarding vaccines. So does Trump stand to lose extra voters from his run?Â
Matt Mackowiak: Yeah. What we have seen within the polling and that is, you already know, onerous to be actual assured concerning the polling of third get together candidates relies on poll entry, how a lot cash you increase, what two states you goal, whether or not you run a nationwide marketing campaign. However to date, the polling has proven that, as Ed factors out, that RFK is taking extra from Biden than he’s from Trump, however he’s taking from each. I agree with a few of what Ed stated. There’s I believe one key factor I believe that is that is possibly one thing I disagree with him on. And that’s RFK made his vice presidential alternative yesterday. And he selected a really liberal individual. He did not select a, quote, Republican. He selected a, the previous, I suppose, the ex-wife of the previous, one of many two co-founders of Google, who was a significant donor to the Los Angeles district legal professional, George Gascon, who was a Soros-backed far-left prosecutor. And presumably, this this two VP cannon, Nicole Shanahan, will doubtless be injecting Rpcs marketing campaign and or his superPAC with maybe tens of tens of millions of {dollars}. And that, after all, isn’t Republican cash. So, look, he is a 3rd get together candidate. He could go for the libertarian nomination to get 50 state poll entry. We’ll need to see if that occurs. He could possibly be a spoiler and he could possibly be an element. My guess is he won’t be the rationale one individual wins or loses.
Rebecca Thomas: Ed, what’s your tackle on RFK choose for VP?Â
Ed Espinoza:Â Properly, look, I believe it largely does not matter. Most individuals do not know who she is. And actually, VP has helped to stability out a ticket when somebody is aware of one thing concerning the individual working on the prime of the ticket. However that is simply not the case right here. Look, the one motive we’re having this dialog, the one motive he’s making information, is as a result of rich Republican donors gave $20 million to an excellent PAC to make his marketing campaign only a tiny bit viable, and that is how he obtained right here. He may have had anyone as his vice presidential choose, and it would not have mattered. He’d nonetheless be right here at present as a result of Timothy Mellon and different huge donors, Republican donors giving all of this cash to an excellent PAC to help our Robert F Kennedy Jr.Â
Rebecca Thomas: All proper. We’re nearly out of time. Matt, your ultimate thought on RFK is the marketing campaign?
Matt Mackowiak: Yeah. Look, he is one of many extra fascinating third get together candidates we have had within the fashionable period. Given his identify, given his profile, given his potential to earn media. Look, he would have run as a Democrat, however the Democrats refused to permit him to look on the poll. And in any case, they completely denied him the flexibility to debate. And so what alternative did he have besides to run third get together? He wished to run as a Democrat. He wished to problem Biden. So I believe the Democrats sort of reap what they confirmed on that. However we’ll see whether or not he raises cash, whether or not he will get free state poll entry, what his message is and whether or not he can get in televised debates if there are any televised debates this fall.
Rebecca Thomas: All proper, Matt, Ed, thanks each for sharing your views with us tonight.