Jamel Holley backing Kennedy’s independent presidential bid

Seventeen days after former Assemblyman Jamel Holley launched a comeback bid as the new Roselle Democratic municipal vice chair, he endorsed a bid by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to seek the presidency as an independent.

Kennedy, the son of the former attorney general and senator from New York and the nephew of the 35th President, said today that he was dropping his primary challenge to President Joe Biden and would instead run as an independent.

Holley joined Kennedy for his announcement in Philadelphia.  Introduced as “New Jersey Assemblymember Emeritus Jamel Holley,” the former Democratic lawmaker led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance and then asked: “Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for the next President of the United States of America?”

The two became friends after Holley opposed pre-pandemic legislation that eliminated religious exemptions for school vaccinations.  Kennedy, an anti-vaccination advocate, headlined a January 2020 Holley fundraiser.

Some think Kennedy will take more votes from Trump than Biden.   Biden has led Kennedy by more than 50 points in recent Democratic primary polls, and Kennedy seems more popular among Republicans than members of his own party.

“The Democrats are frightened that I’m going to spoil the election for President Biden, and the Republicans are frightened that I’m going to spoil it for Trump,” said Kennedy.  “The truth is, they’re both right.  My intention is to spoil it for both of them.”

Kennedy also lacks support from his famous family.

Four of his siblings released a statement today saying their brother’s presidential run “is dangerous to our country.”

“Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision, or judgment,” said Rory Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy II, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.  “Today’s announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country.”