2028 Republican presidential nominee
$54.1M
NOV 7, 2028
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleOther
Political ideologyProgressive Independent
Age72 years old (Jan 17, 1954)
GenderMale
BackgroundEnvironmental lawyer
Show moreShow less
EducationHarvard University (BA)
Notable personal detailsRobert Francis Kennedy Jr. is an American environmental lawyer, author, and politician who has served as the 26th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services since 2025. He is the son of U.S. Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy. He earned a B.A. from Harvard University, a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and an LL.M. from Pace University, and he has worked in environmental advocacy and litigation including founding Waterkeeper Alliance.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Advocates tax changes intended to reduce burdens on the middle and working class (restore personal exemption, increase standard deduction, expand child tax credit) while targeting corporate loopholes, and also proposes unconventional tax/monetary measures such as exempting bitcoin-to-dollar conversions from capital gains taxes and backing the dollar with bitcoin. Policy statements combine proposals that increase benefits or revenue targeting wealthy/corporate loopholes with proposals that reduce or eliminate taxes for specific assets or income types, producing a mixed overall stance on taxes.
Healthcare
The candidate has stated his "highest ambition" is a single-payer program (a Medicare-for-All–style system) while acknowledging it may be politically unrealistic; he has also proposed expanding coverage and integrating services such as dental benefits into Medicare. He has opposed nationalizing the pharmaceutical industry and has emphasized insulating regulators from industry influence. As HHS secretary he has pursued major changes to federal vaccine advisory processes and broader public‑health reforms under a "Make America Healthy Again" agenda.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
Supports stronger border enforcement and tighter controls on illegal immigration while also calling for expanded, orderly legal immigration pathways; has advocated making the border "impervious" and closing perceived "open-door" policies. As HHS Secretary, implemented or supported policies restricting undocumented immigrants’ access to certain federal programs.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate has made conflicting public statements: at times asserting a strong pro-choice view (saying abortion decisions should be left to the woman, including a May 2024 remark that this applies “even if it’s full term”), while other official campaign material and later testimony indicate support for bodily autonomy with some deference to state decision-making after viability and later alignment with administration priorities that restrict access. These contradictory and evolving statements leave a clear single position unresolved.
Climate & Energy
Supports transition to clean energy and stronger environmental protections while favoring market-based measures (opposing certain subsidies and specific technologies he views as ineffective). Policies include incentivizing industry shifts to clean energy, curbing new oil drilling and mining on wild lands, restoring regulatory agencies, and investing in grid expansion to accommodate renewables.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate says he will not take away people’s guns and emphasizes constitutional protections for gun ownership, while also expressing support for some "common-sense" measures and a bipartisan assault-weapons ban if Congress passes one. He has argued that gun-control measures alone cannot "meaningfully" reduce gun violence and has pointed to other factors such as psychiatric drugs and media as contributors to mass shootings.
News
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being mentioned in early 2028 presidential chatter, with recent polling showing him trailing JD Vance among Republican voters but still appearing as a notable name in the field. Reports also say the MAHA movement tied to his health-focused platform could become an important bloc in the 2028 race. Overall, the coverage suggests he remains a visible political figure, but there is no sign of a formal campaign move in these summaries.
I Know Exactly Who Is Plotting to Take Trump’s Job: Biographer
What happens to MAHA after MAGA?
Republicans' youth voter problem
New Poll Shows JD Vance Ahead of Potential 2028 Candidates by Double Digits
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising