Two politicians who have made headlines in the past for their historic and separate decisions to leave the Democratic party are now high-profile supporters of former president Donald Trump.
The GOP nominee has been endorsed by both independent politician Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and former Democrat and Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard. But the two ex-Dems have done more than thrown a broad support behind the controversial Republican. They are now joining forces to push for Trump along the campaign trail.
The two have built up their own following of conservatives through their respective switches to the right-wing political field. Kennedy, for his part, was previously competing against Trump as an independent presidential candidate. However, he suspended his campaign last month, signaling support for Trump to keep Democratic nominee Kamala Harris out of the White House.
Now that the two have joined forces, more voters between the two political parties are open to the possibility of supporting Trump’s re-election campaign. Even some Democrats are siding with the Republican nominee thanks to Kennedy’s endorsement. Such switched voters might prove to be a game-changer in certain states such as Arizona.
While Trump has his own strong fan base, Kennedy and Gabbard appeal to voters who are hesitant about trusting corporations and institutions—including government and mainstream media. This demographic does not always rush to the ballot box, making it more complicated for Trump to win their votes, although this task will be easier thanks to the influence of Kennedy and Gabbard.
Kennedy is popular among health advocates for his anti-vaccine regime and Gabbard has gained prominence for speaking out against Democratic proposals related to foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East. Her experience debating Kamala Harris during the 2016 Democratic primary aided Trump in his own debate preparation against his current opponent.
Both Kennedy and Gabbard have been offered positions to help the potential Trump administration’s transition into the White House. They might even end up assisting to staff his second administration, should the former president win another term.
At the end of August, Kennedy suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump in the race. At the time, the independent politician said that he saw no “realistic path to electoral victory” and that he would instead back Trump, with the primary motivation of “saving these kids.” Kennedy is a staunch advocate for children’s health and also cited Trump’s stances on free speech and the war in Ukraine as reasons for supporting his campaign.
Similarly, one week later, Gabbard issued a similar endorsement, commending Trump for his “courage” in talking to “adversaries,” “dictators,” and “allies” in his “pursuit of peace.” She also criticized the policies of the Democratic leadership that has seen threats of “multiple wars” throughout the world.
Previously, during the 2020 election cycle, Gabbard had endorsed President Joe Biden, only becoming an independent politician two years later after claiming the left-wing party had turned into an “elitist cabal of warmongers” and was being run by “woke” ideologues.
