The decision by the Wisconsin Election Commission to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot in Wisconsin was seen as partisan, despite complying with state law. Democratic Elections Commission Chair Ann Jacobs had pushed to remove all third-party candidates from the ballot, including the Green Party’s Jill Stein, who was blamed for Hillary Clinton’s loss in the state in 2016. While Stein’s polling numbers were low, Kennedy’s polling showed a substantial 8%, potentially impacting the presidential election in Wisconsin.
With Kennedy’s polling numbers revealing significant support, there is concern that his supporters may favor Trump in the upcoming election after anti-vax advocates endorsed the former president. When third-party candidates are included in polling in Wisconsin, Trump typically falls behind Harris by 2 percentage points in what is normally a tight 1% margin. The impact of Kennedy’s candidacy on the election results in the battleground state remains unclear, but some of his supporters have shared their voting plans.
One college student in Milwaukee expressed support for Kennedy due to his ideas and clear-headed message, criticizing the Democratic Party for what she sees as hypocrisy. She is leaning towards voting for Trump in the election. On the other hand, an educator from Milwaukee had initially planned to vote for Kennedy but changed her mind after he endorsed Trump, opting instead to support the Libertarian Party. A property investor and artist also plans to vote for Kennedy, with a desire to see the “We The People” party reach the 5% threshold for public funding.
Election analyst Joe Handrick believes that Trump could receive a slight bump from RFK Jr. supporters in Wisconsin. He predicted that half of Kennedy’s supporters would still vote for him, while others may not vote or support either of the two main party candidates. Handrick estimated that Trump would receive 60% of Kennedy’s remaining votes, compared to Harris’ 40%, giving Harris a slight advantage in the polls. This aligns with the RealClearPolitics polling average for the end of August, showing Harris leading by 1.4% in the state.
The impact of Kennedy’s candidacy on the upcoming election in Wisconsin remains uncertain, with differing opinions on how his supporters will vote and how it will affect the overall outcome. While some supporters may lean towards Trump, others may choose alternative candidates or not vote at all. The decision to keep Kennedy on the ballot has raised questions about partisanship in the election process, particularly in light of efforts to remove third-party candidates like Stein. With the election approaching, the influence of RFK Jr. on the final results remains to be seen.
