RFK Jr. appoints former progressive House Dem as campaign manager

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed former Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) as the campaign manager for his 2024 primary challenge to President Biden.

“Dennis Kucinich has brought invaluable electoral experience to our campaign,” Kennedy said in a statement. “He knows how the system works from the inside out, and his deep knowledge of issues and his personal integrity are fully aligned with the core values our campaign is bringing to American politics.”

Kucinich, 76, was elected as the mayor of Cleveland in 1977 and also served as an Ohio state senator before his 1996 election to the House of Representatives, where he served for 16 years. Kucinich ran in the 2004 and 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, failing to carry a state in either race before dropping out.

“During his time in Congress, Kucinich led the effort against the Iraq War and the Patriot Act, and served as the chair of the progressive caucus,” the campaign announcement states.

“Due to his early opposition to the Iraq War, free trade agreements, and the surveillance state, and his support for huge investments in infrastructure, Mr. Kucinich has earned a reputation as one of America’s most prescient politicians,” the announcement added.

Kennedy, the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and a vocal anti-vaccine activist, formally announced his bid his bid for the White House last month. His announcement speech took aim at “corrupt merger of state and corporate power,” as well as drugs and vaccines.

Author Marianne Williamson has also announced a bid for the Democratic nomination.

Kennedy and Williamson are both considered long shots to defeat Biden, who launched his reelection campaign last month.