Former President Trump and his allies are actively trying to promote Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s election campaign.
Mr. Trump and his allies have called Mr. Kennedy “leftist,” but the independent candidate beat the former president in a close election in which many voters remain agnostic about the other two choices. They are betting that they can contribute to
It's a strategy widely watched by officials in both parties, who Republicans believe could help the former president in a close race.
“Trump would be wise to support him,” said Sharmichael Singleton, a Republican strategist who has worked on three presidential campaigns.
“He knows that Mr. Kennedy is getting more out of Mr. Biden, and he knows that if he gets on the ballot, he can absolutely make an impact.”
Late last month, Trump acknowledged in a post on Truth Social that Kennedy's candidacy would be beneficial to him.
“He's a crooked political opponent of Joe Biden, and he's not mine. I love seeing him running!” Trump said.
Political commentators say turnout is expected to be low this November as both candidates are largely unpopular.
Some voters are expected to consider alternatives to Republican and Democratic candidates, including Mr. Kennedy, who has so far been on the ballot ahead of other third-party candidates.
A compilation of polls by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill shows Kennedy's poll numbers have declined. As of April 11, the approval rating was 8.1%, compared to 42.1% for Trump and 40.6% for Biden.
But his presence on the campaign trail appears to help Trump. According to a poll compiled by Decision Desk Headquarters and The Hill, in which Kennedy did not participate in the April 11 election campaign, Trump's approval rating was 44.8%, Biden's approval rating was 44.2%, and Kennedy Trump's approval rating was smaller than his approval rating.
“Ultimately it's good for us,” said one Republican strategist.
Kennedy's presence could be a big problem in battleground states if he appears on the ballot in competitive states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and Arizona where he is not yet eligible to vote. There is sex.
Mr. Biden has so far failed to pursue Mr. Kennedy head-on, but his allies at the Democratic National Committee have taken up the effort, publishing research on their opponents and casting them as wannabe spoilers. The company is working to focus its public relations and legal teams around Mr. Kennedy.
“Democrats' loud and clear concern about this tells us this could be a success for Trump,” said Doug Hay, a Republican strategist who has not endorsed the former president. Ta. “He knows that and it also fits his strategy of interfering with people. It's a new way for him.”
Trump trolled Kennedy supporters with a post on Truth Social, with the 70-year-old independent saying, “Great for MAGA…but it's going to be very difficult for the communists to get him on the ballot.” said.
In a statement to The Hill, the Trump campaign doubled down on its nomination to make Kennedy eligible in many states.
Trump campaign adviser Brian Hughes said, “Joe Biden and his allies claim to protect democracy, but they are using financial and legal resources to block candidates from accessing the ballot.'' Kennedy's supporters made similar claims.
“President Trump believes eligible candidates should be allowed to make their case to American voters.”
“Given President Trump's track record of keeping household costs affordable, supporting law enforcement to keep our communities safe, and standing up to our adversaries to protect world peace, no matter who comes to the polls, voters will I am confident that we will be able to gain the support of
At the same time, Hughes called Kennedy “a left-wing liberal with a history of supporting extreme environmental policies that rival Joe Biden in their ability to destroy American jobs and undermine the nation's security and prosperity.”
Kennedy's trajectory recognizes the perception that they are being elevated by Trump.
They have seen Democrats try to directly link Trump's candidacy to Trump's own campaign policies.
Democratic operatives often point to Steve Bannon, one of Trump's most controversial figures, as the person who praised Kennedy and encouraged her ascension to the White House.
Kennedy himself has expressed positive feelings toward the former president and presumptive Republican nominee throughout the cycle. Democrats have doubled down on the “spoiler” argument, arguing that any kind words for President Trump are an appeal to voters.
This week, a New York-based consultant hired by the Kennedy campaign to work on ballot access issues was caught on video talking about Trump fans as a “common enemy” in destroying Biden. The incident became even more revealing. The Kennedy campaign distanced itself from Rita Palma after her comments went viral on social media and were used by Democrats seeking proof that her bid was boosting Trump. .
Democrats have no intention of holding back on the comparisons to Trump. Some people felt encouraged to hear that No Labels, the group trying to solicit a “unification” ticket, declared it would not take part in the contest.
“With No Labels withdrawing from the race, Kennedy and his controversial positions will gain even more attention,” said Doug Gordon, a Democratic strategist. “It's going to be bright in the spotlight for him…and it's not going to be kind to him.”
Reached for comment Thursday, Kennedy campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Speer said, “What Trump is really concerned about is that Kennedy will split the opposition vote with him and hand the election to the Democrats.'' ” he said.
“RFK Jr. is a serious threat to Donald Trump, which is why Trump has labeled him a leftist,” she added in a statement to The Hill. “For the same reason, Democrats are painting him as either a right-winger or a closet MAGA supporter.”
“Actually, he's neither of those things,” Spear argued. “He's a true independent, and he's garnering interest from disgruntled Trump donors as well as disgruntled Biden donors.”
Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Kennedy were able to withdraw money from within their own ranks to fund their campaigns.
Kennedy's campaign coffers cannot compare to Trump's or Biden's war chests, but his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, was once married to the Google founder and could provide significant funding for their promotion.
“Mr. Trump is one of those oligarchs who came down from the tower and actually ran for office himself. He can pay most of the campaign expenses,” said a person familiar with Kennedy's campaign. “Because he had his own money and didn't have to worry about kissing his donor's butt, he was able to speak freely and adopt postures that were very appealing to people.”
“I think Shanahan and Bobby can now do it in a different way, a more diplomatic way,” the source added.
President Trump's strategy of amplifying Kennedy is not entirely new.
In 2020, when nearly 20 candidates were vying for the Democratic nomination, Trump's ally Sen. Bernie Sanders ( It deployed similar tactics to boost the United States (I.M., Vermont).
Mr. Trump and some people around him have occasionally praised Mr. Sanders, while publicly calling him a “socialist.” The thinking at the time was that if Sanders became the nominee, Trump could more easily defeat him than Biden. Now they are using Kennedy as another means to bring down Biden.
Some Republicans have argued that Trump would be better off taking his focus away from Kennedy and focusing solely on Biden.
Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist who was a senior aide to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) during the 2012 presidential campaign, said the focus on Kennedy “may distract from his core message.” “That's a real contrast to Mr. Biden.''
“These types of messages are never optimally handled by a candidate,” he added.
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