Robert Kennedy Jr. Is Leading in Polls. No, Not That One – NBCNews.com

Posted: August 1, 2017 at 6:41 pm

Robert Kennedy Jr. teamkennedy2017.org

With just two weeks to go before the August 15 primary, some Democrats worry Kennedy could win the nomination on a fluke, thanks to his name, recalling Alvin Greenes

"Theres suspicion that hes here to bust up the vote and help secure the race for the Republicans," said Beckerle.

The poll showed Kennedy with 49 percent of the vote, outpacing his closest competitor nearly two-to-one in a race that has been entirely overshadowed by

"Really all this shows is youve got a guy with a famous name," said Doug Jones, Kennedy's closest competitor.

Jones is a former U.S. attorney appointed by Bill Clinton who has been involved in Alabama politics since he was president of the Young Democrats chapter in law school.

Alabama papers have dubbed Kennedy a "

But Kennedy his full name is Robert Kennedy Jr. in case you were wondering if his middle initial were "F" would like to clear a few things up.

First of all, hes named after his father, Robert Kennedy Sr., who was born before the other Kennedy family rose to prominence. Second, Alabama Democrats dont know him because he left his Mobile-area home at 18 to join the Navy and then worked for big multinational companies. Third, the Naval Academy graduate with an MBA from Duke University may be a political novice, but hes no dummy.

And, no, hes not a Republican plant. Yes, hes a gun-owning fiscal conservative who emphasizes "faith," "family," and "freedom" as the three key tenets of his campaign. But as an African-American whose parents were raised in the Jim Crow South, he wants an activist federal government to help even the playing field.

"I understand that my name will give me some points," he said. "But to suggest that my name in that particular poll gave me 49 points is disrespectful to the voters."

Anthony Terrell contributed reporting.

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Robert Kennedy Jr. Is Leading in Polls. No, Not That One - NBCNews.com

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