Former President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him a “Radical Left Lunatic” who is even more liberal than candidates from the Democratic party. Trump criticized Kennedy for taking primary votes from Biden, leading to his expulsion from the Democratic party. Trump also accused Kennedy of being a “plant” from the left to help Biden get re-elected, warning that a vote for Kennedy would be a wasted protest vote. Both Republicans and Democrats are concerned about Kennedy potentially taking away votes that could sway the election outcome in the closely contested race.
Recent polls have shown that Kennedy Jr. is more of a threat to Trump than to Biden, with a significant portion of Trump’s voters switching to Kennedy Jr. in a five-way race. However, a new poll from CNN revealed that Kennedy drew support equally from both Biden and Trump supporters. The poll also showed Trump maintaining a slight lead over Biden in a head-to-head race. Trump himself expressed his preference for Biden over Kennedy, believing that the country would last longer under Biden’s presidency. This statement highlights the growing concern among Republicans about Kennedy’s impact on the election.
Kennedy took to social media to defend himself against Trump’s attacks, challenging Trump to a presidential debate to discuss their records respectfully. Kennedy criticized Trump for not fulfilling his promises during his time in office, which he believes led to the betrayal of his supporters. The race for the presidency is shaping up to be tight, with Trump leading Biden by a narrow margin in recent polls. Both parties are worried about the impact of third-party candidates like Kennedy on the election outcome, with memories of past third-party candidates playing spoiler still fresh in their minds.
The possibility of Kennedy taking votes away from both Trump and Biden has raised concerns among political advisers on both sides. Kennedy’s presence on the ballot in select states has added another element of uncertainty to an already closely contested race. While Democrats initially seemed more concerned about Kennedy hurting Biden’s chances, Trump’s recent attacks indicate that Republicans are also wary of the independent candidate’s impact. With the election drawing closer, the focus on third-party candidates like Kennedy has intensified, with both sides scrambling to secure their support and prevent any potential loss of votes that could sway the election in the favor of their opponent.
