If you’re planning to vote for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the upcoming 2024 election, recent polling suggests a mixed alignment in terms of views toward President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
A survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies, exclusively conducted for Newsweek, analyzed responses from 3,500 eligible voters on pivotal issues that could shape the 2024 election outcome.
The findings reveal that while Kennedy backers lean more towards Trump supporters on economic matters, which they consider paramount, they tend to align with Biden supporters on issues like abortion rights.
Kennedy, known for his Democratic lineage and environmental activism, poses a potential threat to both Trump and Biden for the upcoming election, as he draws support from both camps.
Additionally, Kennedy has voiced controversial anti-vaccine theories and criticized Biden as a greater threat to democracy than Trump.
Economy
Among voters, the economy emerged as the top concern, with 58% naming it as the most pressing issue.
When delving deeper, 14% of anticipated Kennedy voters feel the economy is on the right track, compared to 61% who think otherwise. This sentiment is akin to that of Trump supporters, with 11% optimistic about the economy’s trajectory and 75% feeling the opposite.
While 51% of Biden supporters perceive economic improvement following reductions in inflation and gas prices, a majority of both Kennedy (54%) and Trump (63%) supporters feel their financial situations have worsened in the past year, contrasting with 27% of Biden supporters.
Immigration
According to the survey, immigration ranks fourth among current national concerns, with 29% highlighting its importance.
It indicates that Kennedy supporters are more content with the government’s handling of illegal immigration (29%) than Biden supporters (22%). However, a larger share of Kennedy followers (47%) express dissatisfaction with the government’s approach, compared to 64% of Trump supporters and 29% of Biden supporters.
A majority among Kennedy (64%) and Trump (75%) supporters feel the U.S. lacks control over its borders.
Health Care
With health care and abortion rights in the spotlight post the Roe v. Wade overturning in June 2022, party positions come into focus.
Notably, a significant portion of Kennedy supporters (65%) lean towards the Democratic stance on abortion rights, in contrast to 18% siding with the GOP.
Differing attitudes towards abortion are also evident, with 9% of Kennedy supporters viewing it as morally wrong, as opposed to 13% of Biden supporters and 35% of Trump supporters.
When queried on which level of government should oversee abortion laws, the federal government has the highest backing among Kennedy (41%) and Biden (50%) supporters, while a majority of Trump followers (52%) believe states should dictate abortion regulations.
Foreign Affairs
Regarding responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kennedy supporters (38%) and Trump backers (43%) signify disapproval towards the U.S.’ handling of the conflict, contrasting sharply with Biden supporters (12%).
Additionally, a notable share of Kennedy voters (49%) believe the U.S. should reassess aid to Ukraine amid ongoing hostilities, in alignment with 40% of Trump supporters and 29% of Biden supporters.
Kennedy supporters demonstrate less enthusiasm for U.S. support towards Israel in its conflict with Hamas, with 42% advocating for a review, similar to the sentiment among Biden supporters (41%).
Noteworthy, Kennedy backers (42%) exhibit lower pride in American history compared to Trump voters (73%) and Biden supporters (56%), with 35% expressing some level of shame, slightly exceeding the figures from Biden supporters (30%) and markedly higher than Trump supporters (16%).
The survey, conducted on July 15 among 3,500 eligible voters by Redfield & Wilton Strategies, has a margin of error of around 1.66%.