Politics Elections RFK Jr.’s Former Colleagues Call on Him to Drop Out of Presidential Race: 'Election Spoiler' The NRDC Action Fund will run a full-page ad Sunday By Virginia Chamlee Virginia Chamlee Virginia Chamlee is a Politics Writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE for three years. Her work has previously appeared in The Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Eater, and other outlets. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 19, 2024 12:55PM EDT Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Photo: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Staffers at a sister organization to one of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s former employers will urge him to "drop out" of the presidential race in a forthcoming newspaper ad, according to reports. Outlets including CNN report that the NRDC Action Fund — the sister organization to the Natural Resources Defense Council, where Kennedy served as a senior attorney for nearly three decades, will run a full-page advertisement in newspapers in six battleground states Sunday. The ad, which was previewed by the network, reads: “We have spent our careers fighting to protect the planet and its people. As current and former leadership and board members of the NRDC Action Fund, as well as former colleagues of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., we have one message for him: Honor our planet, drop out." The ad also calls Kennedy a "spoiler" candidate, claiming that his candidacy will ultimately benefit Republican contender Donald Trump. “In nothing more than a vanity candidacy, RFK Jr. has chosen to play the role of election spoiler to the benefit of Donald Trump – the single worst environmental president our country has ever had,” the ad reads. Kennedy Family Members Snub RFK Jr. with Powerful Endorsement of Joe Biden: 'A Vote to Save Our Democracy' RFK Jr. — the third of 11 children born to the late U.S. Attorney General and Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy and the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy — announced his presidential candidacy last April. In October, Kennedy announced his party switch from Democrat to Independent in a press conference given as he stood before signs reading "Kennedy 2024: Declare Your Independence." Kennedy, who is known for spouting debunked misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccinations, has publicly butted heads with his family in the past. As he's ramped up his presidential bid, members of his famous family have coalesced behind Democrat Joe Biden. RFK Jr. Is Now Running for President as an Independent After Democratic Campaign Failed to Take Off Several Kennedy family members joined Biden on the campaign trail on Thursday, offering a formal endorsement of their support. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Last year, four of Kennedy's siblings issued a statement saying his decision to run as a third party candidate was "dangerous to our country," adding: "Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. Today's announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country." Close