Poll: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has Higher Favorability than Fellow Presidential Challengers

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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Hannah Knudsen

Robert F. Kennedy, vying for the 2024 Democrat presidential nomination, is seeing a higher favorability rating than fellow presidential candidates on both sides of the political aisle, the latest survey from The Economist/YouGov found.

“A new poll shows me ranking higher in favorability than other major 2024 candidates. #Kennedy24,” the presidential candidate wrote on social media, touting the results of the survey.

Indeed, the poll found 50 percent of registered voters viewing Kennedy at least “somewhat” favorably. Of those, 13 percent have a “very” favorable view. Unlike many challengers, his favorability rating among registered voters is above water, as 32 percent hold an unfavorable view of the Democrat.

For further perspective, fellow Democrat challenger Marianne Williamson sees 19 percent of registered voters viewing her at least somewhat favorably, compared to 26 percent who tend to have an unfavorable view. However, most, 55 percent, “don’t know.”

Kennedy also boasts a better favorable rating than President Biden, as 45 percent of registered voters have at least a somewhat favorable view of the president, compared to 53 percent who do not. However, Biden has a better favorable rating among Democrats, specifically, as 82 percent view him at least somewhat favorably, compared to 44 percent who said the same of Kennedy.

Kennedy also outperforms major Republican presidential candidates as well on the favorability scale. For example, 45 percent of registered voters view former President Donald Trump at least somewhat favorably, and 42 percent said the same of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — both below the 50 percent favorability Kennedy garnered among registered voters.

This trend continues across the GOP primary, as 37 view former Vice President Mike Pence at least somewhat favorably, 28 percent view former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at least somewhat favorably, 35 percent view former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at least somewhat favorably, 27 percent view anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy at least somewhat favorably, and 36 percent view South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott at least somewhat favorably as well.

The survey was taken June 10-13, 2023, among 1,500 U.S. adult citizens.

Kennedy has garnered attention in recent weeks for his populist views, including his criticism of Biden’s border crisis.

“We should have closed borders, and we should expand immigration,” Kennedy said during a May discussion on The Cats Roundtable.

“It’s not racist or insensitive to say that we need to close our borders and have an orderly immigration policy. I would expand legal immigration to this country that’s orderly, that makes sense for our country, but also that our borders are impervious,” he added.

RELATED: Exclusive – Robert F. Kennedy meets with local official at the border

Robert F. Kennedy

A Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll released in May found that 79 percent of Biden voters believe the Democrat Party should hold a televised primary debate between the Democrat candidates.

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