RFK Jr. Does not Change Outcome of 2024 Election by Exiting Race and Supporting Trump

Welcome to Boston Post News, where we deliver the latest updates on the upcoming presidential election. In a recent survey of 1,788 U.S. adults conducted from Aug. 22 to 26, Vice President Kamala Harris is shown to be narrowly leading former President Donald Trump among registered voters. Third-party candidates such as independent Cornel West, Green Party nominee Jill Stein, and libertarian Chase Oliver are also included in the matchup.

Previously, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in the race, garnering 5% of the vote. However, since he has exited the race, both Harris and Trump have seen an increase in support. Harris has seen a 5-point increase, while Trump has seen a 2-point increase, indicating that they have both gained some of RFK Jr.’s former supporters.

It is challenging to determine how much of these gains are directly attributed to Kennedy’s exit or other recent developments like the announcement of running mates, nominating conventions, and changing dynamics in the race. What is evident, though, is that Harris’s overall standing has improved more than Trump’s in recent weeks.

One interesting trend to note is that many of Kennedy’s previous supporters were Democratic-leaning voters who were reluctant to vote for Biden. When Harris replaced Biden, some of these Democratic leaners shifted their support to Harris, boosting her overall numbers. As a result, the remaining pool of voters who were still backing RFK Jr. became more Republican-leaning than before.

Despite Harris’s lead over Trump in the absence of Kennedy on the ballot, the impact of Kennedy’s exit seems to be minimal. If we hypothetically added Kennedy back to the ballot, Harris’s lead would only grow by two points. This suggests that Trump’s “Kennedy bump” is not significant enough to close the gap between the two candidates.

Overall, it appears that Harris has received a larger boost since launching her bid, which likely includes some former RFK Jr. supporters. While Trump may be trailing slightly less than he would have been if Kennedy had stayed in the race, he is still behind Harris. The dynamics of the election continue to evolve, and we will keep you updated on all the latest developments.

Stay tuned to Boston Post News for more updates on the presidential election and other breaking news stories.