# RFK JR seems to be gaining steam **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 2, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451 "2023-11-02T01:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/1 "2023-11-02T01:00:21Z")
Given the inherent dynamics of third-party candidates, it seems to me that both Democrats and Republicans should be concerned about this. > **[Spoiler alert? Poll has RFK Jr. grabbing 22 percent against Biden and Trump](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/01/spoiler-alert-rfk-jr-takes-eye-popping-22-in-poll-against-biden-trump-00124855)** > > The former Democratic candidate also got the backing of a plurality of independents in the Quinnipiac University survey. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/2 "2023-11-02T01:09:27Z")
Unsurprisingly, given RFK Jr’s lunatic views on vaccines and his appeal to the crazies, the article suggests he’d be siphoning more votes from the Trump camp than from Biden, and that more of his funding comes from Trump supporters than from the Biden side. His background as an environmental lawyer and his former Democratic affiliations seem less important to the crowd than the fact that he’s nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/3 "2023-11-02T01:15:15Z")
Although TBF, there are still plenty of anti-vaxx crazies on the left of the political spectrum, who may be ideologically opposed to Trump but are still very gullible about medical misinformation. But I think you’re probably right that the overall lunacy of RFKJr’s views would be at least as much of a handicap to Trump as to Biden when it comes to effectiveness in eroding the major candidate’s voter base. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/4 "2023-11-02T01:17:01Z")
Early polls are meaningless. There’s no way the RFK Loonier is going to pick up 22% of the vote. Give me a break. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/5 "2023-11-02T01:28:11Z")
It’s very early days and there’s plenty of time for more foot-in-mouthery and looniness from MAGA Jr. to drive down his support, but he could well challenge H. Ross Perot’s 19% of the vote in 1992 as a third-party candidate (interestingly, while Perot did better among conservatives than liberals, it wasn’t by a huge margin). I’d like to believe that Jr. will pull more votes from Rethuglicans than Demoncrats, but his anti-corporate, pro-environmental posturing will have a certain appeal among Dems who will happily ignore his descent into Crazytown to have another Kennedy to vote for. He’s been raising a lot of money, much of it coming from Hollywood and at least one [prominent Trump donor](https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/07/31/rfk-jrs-super-pac-received-most-of-its-funding-from-gop-megadonor/?sh=112f25b7e547).\* MAGA Jr, makes much of the fact that he’s “nonpartisan”, which is true in a sense - he’ll take money from _anybody_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/6 "2023-11-02T01:29:47Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > much of it coming from Hollywood and at least one [prominent Trump donor](https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/07/31/rfk-jrs-super-pac-received-most-of-its-funding-from-gop-megadonor/?sh=112f25b7e547). Your article says that most of his funding is coming from that GOP donor. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/7 "2023-11-02T01:34:42Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > > [@Jackmannii](#): > > > > much of it coming from Hollywood and at least one [prominent Trump donor](https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/07/31/rfk-jrs-super-pac-received-most-of-its-funding-from-gop-megadonor/?sh=112f25b7e547). > > Your article says that most of his funding is coming from that GOP donor. Are you disputing the Hollywood angle? > [@](#): > > Twenty percent of Kennedy’s newly acquired donors were from California, including several dozen who listed occupations such as “actor” or “producer,” likely reflecting his Hollywood connections. > **[RFK Jr.’s donor data reveals his 2024 threat](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/01/rfk-jr-2024-campaign-donors-00124621)** > > A POLITICO analysis of his donor base reveals a lot about who is powering this unconventional candidate. One of Jr.'s donors is, unsurprisingly, Oliver Stone, another assassination conspiracy theorist. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/8 "2023-11-02T01:38:39Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > the fact that he’s nuts To protect RFK’s legacy, I think we have to start calling this iteration QFK. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/9 "2023-11-02T01:58:12Z")
> [@Digger11](#): > > Given the inherent dynamics of third-party candidates, it seems to me that both Democrats and Republicans should be concerned about this. Given the inherent dynamics of third-party candidates, both parties should completely ignore him. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/10 "2023-11-02T02:02:05Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I’d like to believe that Jr. will pull more votes from Rethuglicans than Demoncrats, but his anti-corporate, pro-environmental posturing will have a certain appeal among Dems who will happily ignore his descent into Crazytown to have another Kennedy to vote for. Sounds about right, putting aside the name-calling (Demoncrats?) that goes against my personal taste. Kennedy’s VP choice might give a clue as to whether he’s going to push harder left or right. [According to this](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/19/rfk-jr-ballot-access-2024-00122456) he has until January 6 to name a running mate if he really expects to get on 50 state ballots. So we should know fairly soon. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/11 "2023-11-02T02:08:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Given the inherent dynamics of third-party candidates, both parties should completely ignore him. Normally, at least one of the parties will have their lawyers scrutinize the third party’s petitions in an often-successful attempt to deny ballot access. If you care to answer, are you saying both parties shouldn’t do this? Or do you just mean they shouldn’t mention Kennedy on their web sites and in speeches? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/12 "2023-11-02T02:41:31Z")
Here I’m thinking the Jr supporting loonies would love to see Sarah Palin in the mix. Or maybe just grab Nicki whatshername and take a larger portion from the trumpies. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/13 "2023-11-02T02:59:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@Digger11](#): > > > > Given the inherent dynamics of third-party candidates, it seems to me that both Democrats and Republicans should be concerned about this. > > Given the inherent dynamics of third-party candidates, both parties should completely ignore him. Ahem! … > In the 2000 presidential election in Florida, Nader won 97,488 votes, while Al Gore lost the state (and, therefore, the presidency) by 537 votes to Mr. Bush. In five other states this was also true. And it still haunts Democrats – from bar rants to national discourse. > **[The Nader Effect](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-nader-effect/)** > > CBS' Kuhn: Democrats Groan, GOP Grins, As Nader Joins The Race In this case, RFK Jr may impact Republicans instead, to the extent that being an unhinged loon appears to be a political asset in the Republican-leaning demographic. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/14 "2023-11-02T03:05:49Z")
But if Gore came out swinging against Nader, would that have caused Nader to lose votes, or would it have raised his profile as a serious contender and so actually increased his vote count? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/15 "2023-11-02T03:22:45Z")
I was wrong. I thought nothing was more meaningless than early presidential polls. Yet the threat of Kennedy as a serious candidate sinks below that bar. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/16 "2023-11-02T03:37:07Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > But if Gore came out swinging against Nader, would that have caused Nader to lose votes, or would it have raised his profile as a serious contender and so actually increased his vote count? I was responding to what I perceived to be a different argument, that JFK Jr wasn’t going to be a factor of any significance in the election. Any third-party candidate may indeed be a significant factor in a close election, as both Ross Perot was in 1992 and Ralph Nader was in 2000, and JFK Jr is shaping up to potentially be another one. How the major party candidates should respond to that is a different question. Current polls suggest that Democrats should maybe indeed just ignore him, and let him drain away the Republican nutjob vote. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/17 "2023-11-02T04:10:05Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > a certain appeal among Dems who will happily ignore his descent into Crazytown to have another Kennedy to vote for Is this really a thing these days? I’m 50, lifelong Democrat, and “Kennedy” doesn’t hold any special sway with me. I assume it’s even less for Millennials and Gen Z people. I assume much of the Camelot generation has either passed on or aged into conservatism. Not everyone, of course, but each time I hear people suggest “But _Kennedy_…” I have to wonder where it’s coming from. Especially when it’s a Kennedy acting like a loon. I assume it’s partially geographic as well – maybe people in Massachusetts care more. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/18 "2023-11-02T04:36:20Z")
My understanding is that the right tend to think he could be a challenge to Biden, but that he’s actually more attractive to the conspiracy theorist types, which is a type that Trump has successfully courted—including some from the US left. So it’s more likely to peel off would-be Trump voters. The non-conspiratorial US left seem to view his antivax and conspiracy nutter stuff as offputting. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/19 "2023-11-02T04:57:36Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > JFK Jr wasn’t going to be a factor > [@wolfpup](#): > > and JFK Jr is shaping up to potentially be another one Oh dear. QAnon has gotten to @wolfpup. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451/20 "2023-11-02T05:28:22Z")
Oops … **RFK** Jr, RFK Jr, dammit!! Even looking at your post I didn’t see the typo for a few minutes!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-seems-to-be-gaining-steam/992451.md?page=2)