RFK Jr. makes Lansing stop ahead of planned campaign announcement

LANSING — More than 200 people crowded into a ballroom in downtown to hear environmental lawyer, government-mandated vaccine opponent and presumptive presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speak Saturday at the Doubletree by Hilton.

Kennedy, 69, who is expected to announce he is leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent, began by thanking audience members for making their way to "Traverse County." The hotel is in Ingham County, more than 150 miles away from Grand Traverse County.

More: USA Today coverage of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy talked about on environmental lawsuits he has championed, about medical freedom and how he'd crack down on federal medical regulators if elected, and about a housing plan through which Uncle Sam would be the rich uncle who could help guarantee loans to people like teachers.

Kennedy has drawn criticism for some of his positions. On COVID-19, for instance, Scientific American reported that he has floated a conspiracy theory that COVID “ethnically targeted” white and Black people and spared Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese people. He also is against people being required to wear masks.

On Ukraine, Kennedy has said the U.S. should not be providing military aid to the country that was invaded by Russia.

Kennedy, according to the website "Isidewith…" which outlines his positions, is in favor of abortion rights and for allowing gay couples to adopt children. He also supported the impeachment of former president Donald Trump

Kennedy is the son of the late U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

He announced in April that he intends to challenge U.S. President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for president. According to the website FiveThirtyEight, Biden is leading Kennedy in Democratic primary polling 61.1% to 16.4%.

On Sept. 29, however, the political news website Mediaite, founded by Dan Abrams, reported Kennedy was reorienting his campaign to run as an independent rather than as a Democrat with a formal changeover announcement expected to take place at an event in Pennsylvania Monday.

That's the hope of Dave Willits, a volunteer for the campaign. Willits, of Oxford, said he'll be there for the speech Monday and he grabbed a selfie with Kennedy after the speech in Lansing.

"I told him it was a birthday present," Willits said. "I'll be turning 63 on Monday."

An Oct. 4 Ipsos Reuters poll asking about the general election showed Trump at 33%, Biden at 31% and Kennedy at 14%.

Willits said Kennedy's message has resonated with him for years.

Big Rapids residents Sky, 57, and Gabriella Pike, 54, said they are organic farmers and have been encouraged for years by Kennedy's environmental efforts.

"He speaks the truth, consistently and coherently," Gabriella Pike said.

Ed Inman of the Clarion Ledger contributed to this story.

Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: RFK Jr. makes Lansing stop ahead of planned campaign announcement