With his Democrat background and a platform which can only be described as “classical” Republican, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be either a king or a kingmaker.
Everybody knew it but now it’s official! Since Monday, October 9th, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been the first significant independent presidential candidate since Ross Perot in 1992. This development has both major political parties on edge as they strive to mitigate his potential impact. Kennedy’s recognizable name, coupled with widespread dissatisfaction with the political system, positions him to garner a lot of independent votes.
Recent polls, albeit limited, have shown Kennedy polling at 14 percent in a three-way race with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. However, Kennedy’s potential voters are much more than that. On Wednesday, October 4th, Gallup published a poll indicating that 63% of American adults believe that the Republican and Democratic parties are doing such an inadequate job of representing the American public that there is a need for a third significant political party.
Both parties believe Kennedy has what it takes to attract voters from their bases. Biden’s allies consider his independent candidacy dangerous, while the Republican National Committee is highlighting Kennedy’s liberal policy positions to deter right-leaning support. Their common, main argument against Kennedy is the so-called THEORY OF POINTLESS VOTING: There’s no use voting for somebody without a realistic chance to secure the Presideny by himself or herself!
It is too early even for an educated guess but at the moment Kennedy’s support appears evenly split between Biden and Trump for the following reasons:
REPUBLICANS:
- The anti-establishment, populist sentiment among many Republicans who lean towards Trump but they were disappointed by his presidency or they don’t want to vote for a one-term candidate
- Kennedy’s anti-vaccination stance
- An alternative choice for the so-called “never-Trumpers”
- Libertarian Party has never and will never be a viable alternative
DEMOCRATS:
- BIDEN
- Family name
- A chance to punish the party for its far-left turn
- Green party has never and will never be a viable alternative
