RFK Jr. ad urges Catholics to support Trump

CatholicVote featured third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in a pro-Trump campaign ad released Thursday. In the advertisement, the practicing Catholic describes striving for a perfect relationship with a forgiving God. Kennedy paralleled the upcoming election to the idea of God giving humans second chances: Even when America doesn’t live up to its national ideals, citizens get to fix the shortfalls by voting together, he says. The $250,000 spot will run in Pennsylvania before airing in other battleground states, according to Semafor.

Former Democratic President John F. Kennedy—the uncle of RFK Jr.— was the United States’ first Catholic president. President Joe Biden is its second. Trump’s vice presidential running mate J.D. Vance is a recent convert to Catholicism.

If Kennedy is on the ballot, why is he campaigning for a fellow candidate? The independent candidate suspended his campaign in August to work with former President Donald Trump. Kennedy also pulled his name from swing-state ballots rather than take votes away from either candidate. The former Democratic candidate described the blue party as one of corruption, censorship, and war. Trump has promised to boldly act on issues like the economy, border security, and restoring children’s health, Kennedy says in the ad. Catholics must love their children more than they hate each other because of politics, he says in the ad.

What do the Catholics say? The name Kennedy has its own aura to Catholics, and this powerful ad will move votes in swing states, wrote practicing Catholic and Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt. Trump’s running mate and practicing Catholic, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, voiced similar sentiments during a Wisconsin rally earlier this week. A lot of Catholics feel abandoned by the Biden administration, he said. The American government cannot persecute Christians for living their faith, Vance added.

Meanwhile, Catholic Democrats, a national nonprofit organization, supports Harris, according to its website. The group has supported Democratic presidential candidates going back at least to Barack Obama’s campaign successful first campaign in 2008.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report for more on Kennedy’s switch to Team Trump.