Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has raised millions ahead of 2024. His campaign is already spending it to put together what could be the most notable third-party campaign in recent memory.
In an email to The Epoch Times, the Kennedy campaign’s press secretary, Stefanie Spear, said the current focus is “getting Mr. Kennedy on the ballot in all 50 states.”
“We are spending most of our money on setting up field offices in every state, organizing volunteers, and organizing rallies,” Ms. Spear wrote.
Since announcing his intent to run as an independent rather than a Democrat in October, Mr. Kennedy has made 13 official campaign appearances in South Carolina, Maryland, Maine, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
At the end of September, the last time the Federal Election Commission released fundraising data for presidential campaigns and affiliated political action committees, Mr. Kennedy had raised $15 million.
According to FEC filings, Mr. Kennedy’s principal campaign committee, Team Kennedy, had about $6.1 million on hand at the end of September. It had spent about $8.9 million.
Outside Support
A fund supporting Mr. Kennedy, American Values 2024, said it had raised about $9.8 million in 2023 when its midyear report was filed with the FEC. It’s a super political action committee (super PAC), meaning it can raise unlimited amounts of money but can’t directly coordinate with the candidate or campaign.The fund’s second-largest donor was Gavin de Becker, leader of the private security firm Gavin de Becker & Associates, who gave a total of $4.5 million by the end of June.
In 2022, American Values 2024—then called People’s Pharma Movement—raised $550,000 between July 29 and the end of that year. The principal donor was Mark Gorton, founder of New York-based trading and technology company Tower Research Capital, who gave $500,000 in 2022.
The Epoch Times previously reported that American Values 2024 believes it can raise as much as $100 million by the end of 2024. As of the end of June, the super PAC spent about $155,000 to support Mr. Kennedy’s campaign.
Campaign Consultants and Materials
So far, the Kennedy campaign has spent a significant amount of money on campaign consultants, printed materials, internet advertising, and a tour bus.FEC filings show that Team Kennedy paid various consultants more than $1 million through the end of September. Most of the money, about $519,000, went to Parker Reed Corp., a Florida-based branding and media consultancy.
Another large tranche, $185,000, went to Dennis Kucinich’s Kucinich Consulting LLC. The longtime congressman from Ohio and two-time presidential candidate served as Mr. Kennedy’s campaign manager until October. He was replaced by Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, Mr. Kennedy’s daughter-in-law.
The Kennedy campaign also paid $179,500 to John Zogby Strategies, which is run by longtime pollster and analyst John Zogby.
So far, Team Kennedy has bought about $54,000 worth of Facebook ads. This ties into the campaign’s stated strategy of going after younger voters who spend less time with traditional media.
Secret Service Requests Denied
Mr. Kennedy’s campaign has requested Secret Service protection from the Biden administration three times, but the request has been denied each time, so the campaign is spending about 30 percent of its budget on security, Ms. Spear said.The Epoch Times reached out to the U.S. Secret Service to ask about Mr. Kennedy’s protection but didn’t receive a response by press time.
Ken Farnaso, a spokesman for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s campaign, said Ms. Haley doesn’t yet have a Secret Service detail. The Epoch Times reached out to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign but didn’t receive a reply by press time.
According to its website, the Secret Service, under U.S. law, is required to protect “major” presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election.
“The Secret Service has no role in determining who is to be considered a major candidate,” the agency’s website says. “The Secretary of Homeland Security determines who qualifies as a major candidate and when such protection should commence.”
According to Team Kennedy’s spending disclosures with the FEC, the campaign is currently paying private firm Gavin de Becker & Associates for security services. Filings list seven transactions between July 7 and Sept. 13 totaling more than $900,000 for security services.
In an interview, Mr. de Becker said his company works security for the campaign. His website says the business “protects several thousand clients, including more than 80 of the world’s most prominent families and at-risk individuals.” Mr. de Becker confirmed he donated to the super PAC, which isn’t directly tied to the Kennedy campaign.
In its letter to Mr. Mayorkas, the Kennedy campaign said that for more than 55 years, presidential candidates have received a secret service detail much earlier than the 120-day mark required by law.
“Your refusal is the sole outlier, making the Biden Administration the only one to refuse a protection request,” the letter said.
