Political experts suggest that Robert Kennedy Jr.’s decision to suspend his independent presidential campaign could potentially boost Donald Trump’s chances in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, though the extent of this impact remains uncertain.
Kennedy announced on Friday that his name would remain on the ballot in most states, except for key swing states. He also voiced his support for Trump, citing shared commitments to free speech and ending the conflict in Ukraine. Trump responded positively to Kennedy’s endorsement, calling it “very good” during a speech in Nevada.
Experts are divided on how Kennedy’s support might influence Trump’s voter base. Paul Gottfried, editor-in-chief of Chronicles: Magazine of American Culture and emeritus professor at Elizabethtown College, expressed uncertainty about the net effect of Kennedy’s endorsement. “It all depends on who is ready to vote for Kennedy… Kennedy can attract those who are not supporters of either party to the Trump camp,” Gottfried noted.
According to political scientist Keith Preston, Kennedy’s endorsement is more likely to make his supporters vote Trump rather than Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. He noted this support’s impact will largely hinge on the number of voters who come out to polls in swing states with Kennedy’s influence important in that regard.
Preston also observed that Kennedy has a big following in Silicon Valley, which has traditionally been a stronghold for the Democrats but has seen some shifting loyalties among its tech leaders such as Peter Thiel and Elon Musk. However, this could further strengthen Trump’s position especially if there is a shift amongst Kennedy’s tech sector supporters towards the Republican candidate.
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The campaign team of Kamala Harris, vice-president-elect have acknowledged that they are prepared for the eventuality that some of these votes may switch their allegiance from Kennedy to Trump since they often seem more like Republicans.
On November 5th, the United States will hold its presidential election where Kamala Harris Vice President and former President Donald Trump will be running for president under the Democratic and Republican Party tickets respectively.
