Supporters of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are locking ranks behind former President Donald Trump in Nevada.
Many of Kennedy’s supporters were so embittered by his treatment by the Democratic Party that they wished to follow his lead to back Trump, according to interviews conducted by the Wall Street Journal for its Chasing the Vote podcast. The support could prove decisive, as Kennedy was once polling at 15% in the state.
“I definitely will not vote for Harris. Absolutely not. So it’s either going to be Trump or no one for me,” Michelle Malchow, 63, said, citing her frustration with the Democrats’ treatment of Kennedy.
Another similarly reluctant supporter was Janice Berard, 69, who modified her Kennedy yard sign to include Trump’s name alongside Kennedy. She describes her vote as a “strategic vote,” meant to get at least some of Kennedy’s policies through. Trump has hinted at a Cabinet role for Kennedy if elected.
“I know you don’t want to do it, but sometimes you’ve just got to go in and vote, then come out and vomit and get it out of your system, and then move on,” Berard said.
Landscaper Prince Monaco, 36, switched from then-candidate Joe Biden in 2020 to Kennedy and now Trump, citing dissatisfaction with increases in the cost of living.
“I used to spend $150, man, to fill up my house for groceries for my young son and my wife and myself, you know, uh, every two weeks. Now, I’m paying close to $400. Man, that’s ridiculous,” he said.
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Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race in August, endorsing Trump and throwing his support behind him. Polling hasn’t sufficiently established whether or not Kennedy’s supporters followed their candidate’s lead to back Trump.
Kennedy’s defection to Trump is one of the former president’s main pitches to independent voters. The former candidate adopted the slogan “Make America Healthy Again” to reflect both his support for Trump and assurance that his mission remains the same.