Robert F Kennedy Jr has said he is suspending his independent run for the US presidency but will not drop out, keeping his name on the ballot in the states where it will not affect the race.
He announced the decision on Friday following days of speculation about a potential endorsement of Donald Trump.
Mr Kennedy, 70, a Democrat for most of his life and the scion of the powerful Kennedy dynasty said: “In my heart I no longer believe I have a realistic path to victory in the face of systematic censorship”.
The decision effectively brings to an end a campaign fuelled by Mr Kennedy’s anti-vax views, coloured by stories of dead bears and brain-eating worms. His polling has slumped from a high of double figures as funds and national coverage dried up.