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You asked: Does a vote for RFK Jr. hurt Trump?

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April 19, 2024 at 4:56 p.m. EDT
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last month in Los Angeles. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Participants of our recent live chat mused about what effect third-party votes have on presidential candidates for major political parties. A reader named Cathy asked, “If they vote Kennedy, that hurts Trump. Correct?”

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(The Washington Post)
This is Michael Scherer, a national political reporter for The Washington Post since 2017. Send me an email at michael.scherer@washpost.com, and join our live chats to ask us questions.
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This is an open question. Democrats are not so sure the net effect of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent campaign is in their favor. The argument begins with the idea that former president Donald Trump has more commitment from his voters, so anyone pulling votes away could hurt President Biden more.