Anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr’s surprise entrance into the 2024 presidential race has caused quite a stir, with a new poll showing that he may be drawing more support from former president Donald Trump than from President Joe Biden.
The poll, conducted by NBC News and surveying 1,000 registered voters, revealed that in a hypothetical two-way race, Mr Biden is trailing Mr Trump by two percentage points, with 46 per cent to 44 per cent. However, when third-party and independent candidates are included, Mr Biden emerges with a two-point advantage over Mr Trump, at 39 per cent to 37 per cent.
Mr Kennedy, running as an independent, garnered 13 per cent in the poll, while former Harvard professor Cornel West received 2 per cent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein got 3 per cent. The results, though within the margin of error, highlight the potential impact of third-party and independent candidates on the main party contenders.
The Biden campaign has taken Mr Kennedy’s candidacy seriously, hiring veteran operative Lis Smith to counter any political threats posed by him and other third-party candidates. This move comes after a group of Kennedy family members officially endorsed Mr Biden, signaling a clear preference for the current president over their own relative.
Kerry Kennedy, sister of RFK Jr, emphasized that the family believes the best path forward for America is to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, stating that a vote for Biden is a vote for democracy and decency. With the Kennedy family’s endorsement, the message is clear: they stand behind Biden for another term in office.