Kennedy-led MAHA movement takes a beating in US midterm elections
After Democrats swept the US midterm elections, more than half of the 24 candidates endorsed by the MAHA movement lost. The movement's future is uncertain, as supporters had already voiced disappointment with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before the vote.
Democrats won the US midterm elections held on Tuesday, and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement suffered heavy defeats along with the Republicans. The movement is built around US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccine opponent. Attention now turns to whether it will fade, reshape itself or partly merge into Democratic politics.
Election losses
More than half of the 24 MAHA-endorsed candidates lost. They include Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton and Zach Lahn, who ran for governor of Iowa. Kennedy headlined a rally for Lahn last week. Lahn lost to Democrat Rob Sand by 11 points, turning the governorship blue for the first time in 20 years. Senator Roger Marshall, who founded a MAHA caucus in the Senate, and Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn also lost.
Several Kennedy critics won, including Richard Pan, Annie Andrews and Abdul El-Sayed. Andrews said in August that Kennedy should be impeached and removed. Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks wrote on social media that he must resign or be fired.
A fraying coalition
The movement has always combined varied groups. Some members embrace Kennedy's fringe views, while others joined over food quality, environmental contaminants and industry influence on health. In February, supporters criticized Kennedy for backing greater domestic glyphosate production, and in September for appearing at a summit with large corporate sponsors. In October, Tiffany Cianci published a scorecard of 42 promises: 37 broken, five partially kept, none fulfilled. Kennedy adviser Calley Means resigned.
What comes next
Activist Mary Talley Bowden polled followers on three options. Forming a third party led with 49 percent, while joining Democrats had just 3 percent. Zen Honeycutt, a Kennedy loyalist, warned that impeaching him would be "extremely unwise." Journalist Brinda Adhikari argues that MAHA's themes may instead help reshape the Democratic Party.
