The communications director for the Harris-Walz campaign dismissed concerns that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could give former President Donald Trump’s campaign a boost if he endorses him.
Mediaite’s Diana Falzone reported on Wednesday that Kennedy is planning on dropping his independent presidential campaign and backing Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. Kennedy has already announced that he is speaking on Friday and his running mate Nicole Shanahan recently revealed the campaign was considering joining “forces” with Trump. Reports have indicated Kennedy met with Trump late last month about a possible endorsement and he later tried getting a similar meeting with Harris’s team.
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell asked Michael Tyler, communications director for Harris’s campaign, about the reports on Friday and whether he’s “concerned” about polling indicating a Kennedy endorsement would give a boost to Trump’s campaign.
“Are you concerned about what we have confirmed is going to happen, which is RFK Jr. dropping out probably tomorrow and likely endorsing Donald Trump and all the polling indicates it would likely help Donald Trump?” Mitchell asked.
Tyler accused Kennedy of being “propped up by MAGA donors” and declared that the Democrats’ message is “not for” him.
“I don’t think it would be any surprise if he were to drop out and endorse Donald Trump. I think our message, frankly, isn’t for RFK. It’s for the voters who are looking for a place to go,” he said. “I think what him dropping out fully cements that this election is going to be a choice between Vice President Harris who is fighting for the American people [and] Donald Trump who, as I said earlier, is simply fighting for himself.”
Trump told CNN this week he would “probably” give Kennedy a role in his administration if the independent candidate backs him.
Kennedy has seen his support steadily decline, but polling suggests Republican voters are more receptive to him than Democrats. According to a July NBC News poll, 33% of Republicans said they viewed Kennedy positively. Among Democrats, 53% said they view him negatively. That polling — taken before President Joe Biden dropped his reelection campaign — also shows that more Trump voters switched their vote to Kennedy when his name was included in the options than Biden voters.
Watch above via MSNBC.
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