He’s helping Trump.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of one of America’s most prominent Catholic families, is urging Catholic voters to support former President Donald Trump through a new television ad. After initially running against President Biden for the Democratic nomination, Kennedy chose to continue his presidential campaign as an independent. In this ad, costing $250,000 and aired by the conservative group CatholicVote, he expresses his reasons for backing Trump, highlighting issues such as economic reform, border security, and child welfare. Kennedy’s message is framed around a call for unity among Catholics to prioritize children’s welfare over political division. The ad is scheduled for wider release across battleground states following its Pennsylvania launch.
CatholicVote, which sponsored the ad, is critical of Vice President Kamala Harris’s stance on abortion, which they view as conflicting with Catholic social teachings. CatholicVote President Brian Burch argues that Harris’s uncompromising stance on abortion, including lack of exemptions for religious providers, risks alienating faith-based voters. Burch acknowledged some disappointment among pro-life supporters regarding Trump’s opposition to a federal abortion ban but believes Trump’s stance reflects current public opinion, where no national consensus on abortion exists.
Kennedy’s collaboration with CatholicVote was reportedly the result of lengthy discussions on shared values. Burch shared that Kennedy ultimately agreed on the need to balance funding for programs that help women make alternative choices to abortion with current abortion resources. Additionally, Trump’s campaign has been actively engaging Catholic voters, including an op-ed from his running mate, Senator JD Vance, who criticized Harris’s perceived indifference towards Catholics.
In this election, Catholic voters represent significant portions of the population in key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, and Wisconsin, where their influence could impact the election outcome. Historically, Catholic voters leaned Democratic until the 1970s, with issues like crime and cultural concerns shifting some support to Republicans. In recent elections, Catholic support has been closely split between the two major parties, with the group often influencing which candidate ultimately secures the presidency.
