Robert F Kennedy Jr, who recently suspended his presidential campaign, has endorsed former President Donald Trump. This development, coming after Kennedy’s switch from a Democratic to an independent candidacy, has sparked significant discussion about its potential impact on the 2024 election.
Kennedy’s endorsement, however, seems to have made little impact on the overall perception of Trump among likely voters.According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, the majority of respondents—64 per cent—indicate that Kennedy’s support does not alter their view of the GOP nominee. This finding comes from a survey conducted between August 23 and 27, involving 1,611 likely voters.
Breaking down the responses, the poll reveals that approximately 20 per cent of those surveyed now view Trump more favourably due to Kennedy’s endorsement, while 15 per cent report a less favourable opinion. Despite the endorsement, Kennedy’s influence appears to be waning, with 42 per cent of respondents holding an unfavourable view of him, and only 32 per cent expressing a favourable opinion. Additionally, 24 per cent of respondents admitted they did not have enough information about Kennedy to form an opinion.
Kennedy’s influence had previously shown some promise in polls, reaching the high teens in national surveys. However, his support numbers have recently dropped to single digits. His decision to endorse Trump and his move to withdraw his name from ballots in certain battleground states reflect his efforts to shape the election dynamics, though states like Michigan and Wisconsin have opted not to remove Kennedy from their general election ballots.
Tim Malloy, a polling analyst at Quinnipiac University, observed that Kennedy’s shift to Trump’s camp, amidst his declining presidential prospects, does not seem to sway independent voters significantly. “RFK Jr., with his own presidential prospects in a nosedive, bounces to Donald Trump’s camp. But is he an asset or a liability? Independents, so critical to the outcome of the race, aren’t exactly swayed by him to change their views about Trump,” Malloy noted.
The Quinnipiac University poll carries a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points, adding a layer of nuance to the findings.
Kennedy’s endorsement, however, seems to have made little impact on the overall perception of Trump among likely voters.According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, the majority of respondents—64 per cent—indicate that Kennedy’s support does not alter their view of the GOP nominee. This finding comes from a survey conducted between August 23 and 27, involving 1,611 likely voters.
Breaking down the responses, the poll reveals that approximately 20 per cent of those surveyed now view Trump more favourably due to Kennedy’s endorsement, while 15 per cent report a less favourable opinion. Despite the endorsement, Kennedy’s influence appears to be waning, with 42 per cent of respondents holding an unfavourable view of him, and only 32 per cent expressing a favourable opinion. Additionally, 24 per cent of respondents admitted they did not have enough information about Kennedy to form an opinion.
Kennedy’s influence had previously shown some promise in polls, reaching the high teens in national surveys. However, his support numbers have recently dropped to single digits. His decision to endorse Trump and his move to withdraw his name from ballots in certain battleground states reflect his efforts to shape the election dynamics, though states like Michigan and Wisconsin have opted not to remove Kennedy from their general election ballots.
Tim Malloy, a polling analyst at Quinnipiac University, observed that Kennedy’s shift to Trump’s camp, amidst his declining presidential prospects, does not seem to sway independent voters significantly. “RFK Jr., with his own presidential prospects in a nosedive, bounces to Donald Trump’s camp. But is he an asset or a liability? Independents, so critical to the outcome of the race, aren’t exactly swayed by him to change their views about Trump,” Malloy noted.
The Quinnipiac University poll carries a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points, adding a layer of nuance to the findings.