Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic running against Joe Biden in the Democratic primary, sparked controversy after reportedly suggesting that COVID-19 was genetically engineered to target Caucasians and Black people while sparing Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese. Kennedy later denied the allegations of racism and anti-Semitism, claiming he had meant to express his belief that governments were developing ethnically targeted bioweapons. However, his comments were condemned by other Democratic candidates like Marianne Williamson and Rep. Ritchie Torres, with Torres calling Kennedy a "complete crackpot who has no business being anywhere near the presidency." Kennedy's stance on vaccines has also alienated members of his own family who have declined to support his presidential bid.