Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is a progressive Democrat who is known for his environmental activism and his support for social justice is hoping to defeat President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024, and speculation has begun about who he would choose as his running mate.
A progressive Democrat who is known for his environmental activism and his support for social justice, sources close to Kennedy say he will probably select a vice presidential contender who shares his values and his commitment to healing the division among US citizens, rolling back the American empire, and pursuing clean energy.
Two top possibilities that have been mentioned by party insiders are Stacey Abrams and Kristen Clarke, women who are both progressive Democrats that are qualified, experienced, and well-respected for their work on environmental and social justice issues.
While displacing Biden at the top of the slate would be a title wave, replacing Vice President Kamala Harris would avert an embarrassment since her poor approval ratings are widely expected to be a drag on the ticket if she remains part of the Democratic campaign.
Unlike President Joe Biden’s staff, whose names, titles, and salaries are detailed in an annual report to Congress, the vice president’s office doesn’t publicly identify its staff but some departures have gained notice, such as deputy chief of staff Michael Fuchs, deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, chief spokesperson Symone Sanders, deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs Vincent Evans, director of Harris’ press operations Peter Velz, vice presidential national security adviser Amb. Nancy McEldowney, and director of speechwriting Kate Childs Graham.
Abrams is the former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and a leading figure in the fight for voting rights.
Clarke is the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice and the daughter of Caribbean immigrants.
Both Abrams and Clarke would be strong running mates for Kennedy because either one would bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the ticket that could help Kennedy appeal to a broad range of voters.
In particular, Abrams would be a strong choice for Kennedy because of her popularity in Georgia. She narrowly lost the 2018 governor’s race in Georgia, and she is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
If Kennedy were to choose Abrams as his running mate, it could help him to consolidate his support in Georgia and other Southern states.
Clarke would also be a strong choice for Kennedy because of her experience in the Department of Justice. She has a deep understanding of civil rights law, and she would be a valuable asset to Kennedy in the fight for social justice.
Abrams and Clarke are top possibilities that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. could choose as running mate, but they are not the only names in consideration.
Democrats are warming up to the challenger, who has pledged to “end the forever wars, clean up government, increase wealth for all, and tell Americans the truth.”
Born to a political family and widely known as Bobby Kennedy, or RFK Jr., the Democratic candidate is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, and the son of his Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom lost their lives to an assassin’s bullet: JFK in 1963, and RFK, Sr. in the midst of his 1968 presidential campaign.
After graduating from Harvard University, Kennedy, Jr. studied at the London School of Economics and received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. He then attended Pace University School of Law, which awarded him a Master’s Degree in Environmental Law. He served on the Pace Law School faculty from 1986 to 2018 and cofounded and supervised Pace’s Environmental Litigation Clinic.
TIME Magazine named Kennedy as “Hero for the Planet” for his leadership as founder of the Waterkeeper Alliance, the advocacy group that helped restore the Hudson River and spawned a worldwide network of more than 350 environmental organizations in 46 countries around the globe.
Among his many victories in landmark legal battles over the past four decades, Kennedy was on the trial team against Monsanto in 2018, and against DuPont in 2019 in the environmental contamination case that inspired the movie “Dark Waters.”
Kennedy is also an award-winning writer whose books include two New York Times bestsellers and whose articles have been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Nation, Outside Magazine, the Village Voice, and many others.