Political Wire

SubscribeSign in
  • Front Page
  • Trending
  • Polling
  • Trial Balloon
  • Books
  • Membership
  • Sign In
Theme
Text size

Why RFK Jr. Should Hurt Trump More Than Biden

March 14, 2024 · 12:29 pm ET · Leave a Comment

Jonathan Last: “If Kennedy is on the ballot, then everyone is going to find out exactly who he is and what he stands for. And they’re not going to like it.”

“If/when Kennedy’s anti-vaccine beliefs are tied totally to his brand name, then that +11 favorability number will head south.”

“But it won’t go to zero. He’ll still have supporters—it’s just that these supporters will be overwhelmingly Republican, because in the era of Trump anti-vaccine sentiment concentrated in the GOP… And within the Republican party, vaccine skepticism is not evenly distributed: It’s concentrated among self-identified MAGA Republicans.”

“Put this all together and I suspect that over time: RFK’s support will drop by >66 percent as his favorability number collapses. His remaining support will be disproportionately drawn from low-propensity, vaccine-skeptical MAGA Republicans. The net effect of his candidacy will be a slight drag on Trump’s number.”

Limited-time offer

Try Political Wire Free for 60 days

Members get Talking Points analysis, Trending News, the Polling Dashboard, the Trial Balloon podcast, new site features and no ads. Start your free trial

2024 Campaign

← PreviousMcConnell Raises Pressure on Johnson Over UkraineNext →Trump Launched Covert Influence Operation in China

Keep reading

Front page →

Political Wire is reader-supported. Join for ad-free reading, member posts and new features →

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

More about Taegan Goddard →

?Political Trivia

  • The Way It Was
    Eight moments in political history. Put them on a timeline.
    Play →
  • Yea or Nay?
    Five senators. Three bills. Can you guess how they all voted?
    Play →
  • Split Decision
    Nine Justices. One case. How did they rule?
    Play →
  • Pollster
    Do you have your finger on the pulse of America?
    Play →
  • Daily Trivia
    Four questions a day.
    Play →

A new game every day.

Your Account

Members

For the full experience, sign in.

Become a Member

Read everything on Political Wire. No ads, Talking Points analysis, Trial Balloon podcast, new features and more.

  • Join Political Wire
  • Gift a Membership

Members Only

  • Could Mississippi Deliver a November Surprise?
  • Weekly News Quiz
  • Republicans Could Face Another Leadership Civil War
  • Ramaswamy’s Self-Inflicted October Surprise
  • Another Sign of a Coming Blue Wave
  • What Would a Blue Wave Really Look Like?

More members only posts →

?Political Trivia

  • The Way It Was →
  • Yea or Nay? →
  • Split Decision →
  • Pollster →
  • Daily Trivia →

Copyright © 2026 · Goddard Media LLC

Political Wire® is a registered trademark of Goddard Media LLC

Also from Goddard Media: Political Dictionary · Political Job Hunt · Electoral Vote Map

Privacy PolicyCorrections PolicyContact