RFK Jr. gains on ballot access, poll shows third-party impact on election

KARAH RUCKER: THIS ELECTION CYCLE IS UNIQUE IN A LOT OF WAYS.

YOU’VE GOT BIDEN – THE OLDEST PRESIDENT EVER RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION.

YOU’VE GOT TRUMP – THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO FACE CRIMINAL TRIALS RUNNING FOR ANOTHER TERM.

THEN – YOU’VE GOT ROBERT F KENNEDY  JUNIOR. THE FIRST THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE IN DECADES TO PULL IN SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT IN THE POLLS.

THE QUESTION IS.

WHICH CAMP IS HE DRAWING THE MOST SUPPORT FROM? 

IS IT TRUMP OR BIDEN WHO HAS MORE TO LOSE IF KENNEDY IS ABLE TO GET ON STATE BALLOTS?

MEDIA HEADLINES – ARE CONFLICTING.

“RFK JUNIOR SAYS HE HAS ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO MAKE TEXAS BALLOT –

POTENTIALLY HURTING **TRUMP.”

“RFK JUNIOR CANDIDACY HURTS TRUMP MORE THAN BIDEN”.

“RFK JUNIOR PULLS SUPPORT FROM THESE KEY **BIDEN GROUPS – AND COULD SWAY ELECTION OUTCOME.”

“HOW ROBERT F KENNEDY JUNIOR COULD DOOM **JOE BIDEN.”

IS KENNEDY’S SUPPORT ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHO WINS THE ELECTION COME NOVEMBER?

ACCORDING TO A NEW “NEW YORK TIMES/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/SIENA COLLEGE POLL”  –

IT IS.

RFK JUNIOR IS POLLING AT ROUGHLY 10 PERCENT ACROSS THESE SIX BATTLEGROUND STATES.

THE BAD NEWS FOR TRUMP IS – KENNEDY IS PULLING FROM TRUMP’S BASE BY A NEAR 2 TO 1 MARGIN – ACCORDING TO THE POLL.

BUT IT’S NOT ALL GOOD NEWS  FOR BIDEN —  THE DATA ALSO SUGGESTS – TRUMP STILL HOLDS A SLIGHT LEAD OVER BIDEN EVEN WHEN ACCOUNTING FOR THE IMPACT OF KENNEDY’S NAME ON THE BALLOT.

HERE’S A FEW KEY FINDINGS FROM THE RECENT POLL.

44% OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY’D VOTE FOR KENNEDY –

ARE DOING SO ONLY TO VOTE **AGAINST TRUMP AND BIDEN.

KENNEDY IS POLLING BEST AMONG TWO DEMOGRAPHICS.

18% OF YOUNG VOTERS UNDER THE AGE OF 30 ARE FOR RFK.

WHILE 14% OF HISPANIC VOTERS SAY THEY’RE FOR RFK.

TWO DEMOGRAPHICS THAT TYPICALLY VOTE DEMOCRATIC.

HOWEVER –

OF THE PEOPLE POLLED WHO SAY THEY SUPPORT RFK –

JUST 29% SAY THEY’RE *DEFINITELY* VOTING FOR HIM IN NOVEMBER –

COMPARED TO ABOUT 80% OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY’RE VOTING FOR BIDEN OR TRUMP.

WHETHER VOTERS WILL EVEN HAVE THE OPTION TO VOTE RFK JUNIOR –

IS STILL UNSURE RIGHT NOW.

OF THE SIX BATTLEGROUND STATES IN THE POLL WE SHOWED YOU EARLIER –

KENNEDY’S QUALIFIED FOR ONLY THE MICHIGAN BALLOT SO FAR.

THIS WEEK THE CAMPAIGN  ANNOUNCED HE HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION TO ADD HIS NAME TO THE TICKET IN TEXAS.

KENNEDY’S CAMPAIGN SAYS IT HAS SECURED ACCESS TO THE BALLOT IN SIX STATES.

IN THE PAST – SUPPORT FOR THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES HAS DECREASED THE CLOSER WE GET TO NOVEMBER.

ALREADY – KENNEDY’S SUPPORT IS “LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT IT WAS” IN THE TIMES’ POLL FROM LAST FALL.

WE’RE STILL ABOUT SIX MONTHS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY.

WHILE THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON THE REMATCH BETWEEN BIDEN AND TRUMP.

THERE IS A CHANCE KENNEDY VOTERS WHO COULD HAVE THE MAJOR  SAY IN WHO THE PRESIDENT IS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS –

GIVEN THE IMPACT HE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE IN SWING STATES.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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