Politics

I think the idea that it will hurt Democrats is coming desperate Republicans that haven't caught up with the fact that the Trump Era expanded the base of people that will vote straight D as hard as the 'conservative base' votes straight R.

In effect they're thinking I'm still the person I was in my 20's- someone who would 'vote their conscience' with a third party out of disgust for both parties. Not that I'd have ever voted for RFK Jr's crazy ass, but third party in general seemed like an option. But Trump helped disabuse many of that notion and made the 'lesser of two evils' substantial enough a difference to get through to all but the most hopelessly naive and idealistic.

As an American, I can only say... it's complicated.

First and foremost, no Republican would willingly vote for a Kennedy. The Kennedy family is right up the with the Clinton and Obama families as targets for conservative hatred.

Secondly, there's a small but growing contingent of "crunchy" liberals who are rabidly anti-vax and increasingly jumping on the conspiracy train. They're still in favor of lots of liberal things like reproductive and LGBTQIA+ rights, but they're increasingly anti-establishment and pro-conspiracy.

Any third party candidates will pull voters away from both parties, but I suspect dipshit RFKjr will pull about 80/20% democrat vs republican.

There unfortunately are people who would vote solely on his name. "Oh he's a Kennedy they're very liberal."