Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be gaining ground in the Senate as he continued to meet with senators from both sides of the aisle this week to discuss his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Kennedy to lead the public health agency initially elicited mixed reactions on Capitol Hill and among food and agriculture groups. Kennedy has previously been openly critical of pesticide use in American agriculture, as well as seed oils and ultra-processed foods.
Kennedy met with several senators this week and before the holiday break to discuss his nomination. He told reporters Thursday those discussions were going “terrific.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has been a public skeptic of Kennedy given some of his remarks on agriculture issues like pesticides and GMOs. However, after the meeting, Grassley said Kennedy was “much more reasonable” than he expected.
While the senator did not offer specifics on what agriculture topics came up during the meeting, Grassley said reports he had read on Kennedy’s views did not accurately reflect how he would act.
Still, Grassley said he would wait until Kennedy’s confirmation hearing to determine whether he’ll support his confirmation.
As of Thursday evening, Kennedy’s hearing date has not been set.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., also met with Kennedy this week but similarly said he would wait until after the hearing to determine his support. Boozman said it wasn’t an “extensive” meeting and he focused primarily on agriculture issues like a brief mention of pesticides and processed foods.
“We need to wait and see,” Boozman said.
The senator noted that Kennedy was specific on some issues that could be optional versus mandatory, and he appreciated that the nominee was “talking in those terms.”
“That’s the kind of talk that I like to hear,” Boozman said.
Other senators were more direct with their support.
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn told reporters after meeting with Kennedy that the nominee is "pro vaccine safety" and not "anti-vax." Cornyn said in a social media post that he and Kennedy "had a great conversation about prioritizing the health of Texans. I look forward to working with him, and I intend to support his nomination."
This week, Kennedy expanded his visits to Democrats. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., met with the nominee Thursday and said the discussion went well, but declined to share what specific issues came up.
“Every meeting is good because you have a better idea of where they are and what they're about,” Fetterman said.
Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders has also met with Kennedy where the two talked about lowering drug prices. He did not specify if he would support Kennedy’s confirmation and said “there will be continuing discussions.”
The meetings with senators took place the same day thousands of doctors signed on to a letter opposing Kennedy's nomination.
"This appointment is an affront to the principles of public health, the tireless dedication of medical professionals, and the trust that millions of Americans place in the healthcare system," said Rob Davidson, executive director of the Committee to Protect Healthcare, in the letter, which the group said had the support of nearly 18,000 physicians as of Thursday afternoon.
The letter states Kennedy has a history of spreading “dangerous disinformation” on vaccines and other public health interventions, which could put people at risk.
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