Kennedy’s supporters could still alter a tight race — but it’s hard to tell who will benefit

For the better part of the past year, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. built and maintained a small but significant base of support for his quixotic White House bid, the two major parties wrestled with an increasingly pressing question: Whose presidential aspirations might be most damaged by an independent aligned with the conspiratorial right but bearing a famous Democratic name?

Now, with Kennedy having suspended his campaign, both parties will be closely watching who his followers gravitate toward in the closing months before Election Day.

He also said Friday that he would “throw (his) support to President Trump.”

Though his odds of victory were quickly diminishing – a recent CBS News poll measured his support at just 2% – Kennedy’s decision to bow out 74 days before the election nevertheless presents another twist to a race already unlike any other. And amid a momentum shift that has catapulted the newly installed Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, into close contention with Trump, there is hope within the former president’s operation that Kennedy’s exit could prove decisive if certain battlegrounds are decided by thousands of ballots, just as they were in 2020.

Kennedy’s supporters could still alter a tight race — but it’s hard to tell who will benefit

For the better part of the past year, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. built and maintained a small but significant base of support for his quixotic White House bid, the two major parties wrestled with an increasingly pressing question: Whose presidential aspirations might be most damaged by an independent aligned with the conspiratorial right but bearing a famous Democratic name?

Now, with Kennedy having suspended his campaign, both parties will be closely watching who his followers gravitate toward in the closing months before Election Day.

He also said Friday that he would “throw (his) support to President Trump.”

Though his odds of victory were quickly diminishing – a recent CBS News poll measured his support at just 2% – Kennedy’s decision to bow out 74 days before the election nevertheless presents another twist to a race already unlike any other. And amid a momentum shift that has catapulted the newly installed Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, into close contention with Trump, there is hope within the former president’s operation that Kennedy’s exit could prove decisive if certain battlegrounds are decided by thousands of ballots, just as they were in 2020.

Kennedy’s supporters could still alter a tight race — but it’s hard to tell who will benefit

For the better part of the past year, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. built and maintained a small but significant base of support for his quixotic White House bid, the two major parties wrestled with an increasingly pressing question: Whose presidential aspirations might be most damaged by an independent aligned with the conspiratorial right but bearing a famous Democratic name?

Now, with Kennedy having suspended his campaign, both parties will be closely watching who his followers gravitate toward in the closing months before Election Day.

He also said Friday that he would “throw (his) support to President Trump.”

Though his odds of victory were quickly diminishing – a recent CBS News poll measured his support at just 2% – Kennedy’s decision to bow out 74 days before the election nevertheless presents another twist to a race already unlike any other. And amid a momentum shift that has catapulted the newly installed Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, into close contention with Trump, there is hope within the former president’s operation that Kennedy’s exit could prove decisive if certain battlegrounds are decided by thousands of ballots, just as they were in 2020.

Poll question

When VP Kamala Harris undergoes more rigorous questioning on the issues, will her poll numbers rise, fall, or stay the same?

Selection of Smerconish Daily Headlines

Harris Makes the Connection, Politico
Kamala Harris’s convention speech tied her personal story to the broader American experience, presenting herself as a relatable, tough-minded leader aligned with mainstream values.

Kennedy Withdrawal Coming Today, Associated Press
RFK Jr. withdrew from the Arizona ballot, fueling speculation about a potential alliance with Trump as both are set to speak in Phoenix amid rumors of Kennedy endorsing him.

Dems Beating Repubs in Ratings, Yahoo! News
The DNC outpaced the RNC in viewership for the third night in a row, drawing over 20M viewers compared to the RNC’s 18M, with speeches from Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, and Tim Walz.

There Are Very Few Persuadables, ABC News
Persuadable voters, who are largely disengaged and not firmly aligned with either major party, make up a small but potentially crucial segment in a close Harris-Trump election.