Joe Wendt, RFK, Jr. Organizer, dies at 40

Monday, August 18, 2025

Photo of Joseph A. Wendt, Four-year veteran of the United States Navy. From his wife, Ella Wendt's Facebook pictures.

Joe and Ella Wendt, married on May 27, 2022. Photo from Ella's Facebook photo page.

News Release, Date:  Monday, August 18, 2025

Spring Hill, Florida:

Joseph A. Wendt, a third-party advocate and political organizer in Florida, who was initially involved in helping Robert F. Kennedy run for President in 2024, died on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at his home in Inverness (Citrus County), Florida.  Mr. Wendt was forty years old.

Brian Moore, a political friend, stated that "Joe apparently succumbed to a deteriorating medical condition stemming from ongoing kidney and diabetic problems."

In 2024, Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., engaged Joe Wendt in the Spring as a possible campaign manager after Wendt revised the Natural Law Party for Kennedy to use later as a way to help his presidential campaign gain ballot access in Florida.  However,  Discussions with the Kennedy campaign broke down in June, 2024.

Kennedy later qualified with the Reform Party of Florida for ballot access in the 2024 presidential elections, only to withdraw shortly thereafter when presidential candidate Donald Trump invited Kennedy on to Trump's presidential campaign.

Wendt then assisted Cornel West to become the Natural Law Party presidential nominee on the Florida ballot in July, 2024.  However, the West campaign was advised by the state of Florida in September that elector address omissions disqualified West's ballot access.

Wendt, at the age of 32, was a U.S. Senate candidate for the Libertarian Party in Florida in 2017, but withdrew after his disillusion with the party's leadership and departed from the Party.

Joseph Wendt served four years in the United States Navy, including a tour in the Middle East during tense international conditions.  Mr. Wendt was honorably discharged at the end of his service.  He is survived by his wife, Ella Wendt, two brothers Colin and Edward Wendt, and a 12-year old son from a previous marriage.  (See attached photos)

Burial services will be held on Thursday, August 21st, at 11 AM, at the Bushnell Veterans National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.

Joe Wendt was also this writer's campaign manager when I announced as a first-time Green Party candidate for Florida Governor in 2022, but eventually transferred to a less expensive state senate district 11 race.  I lost to Blaise Ingoglia, who recently was appointed by Governor DeSantis as Chief Financial Officer for Florida.

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