Trump edges Biden in polls, but could Kennedy shake up the race?

Six months before the US presidential elections, Donald Trump slightly led over Biden. However, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate, could erode the Republican Party candidate's support, the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll suggests.

Trump has 46 percent support, excluding those who revealed they won't participate in the presidential election, while Biden has 44 percent. Among registered voters, Biden is preferred by 46 percent compared to Trump's 45 percent. Meanwhile, among likely voters - those most certain to vote - 49 percent are inclined towards the incumbent, with 45 percent favoring Trump.

In collaboration with Langer Research Associates, ABC revealed a comprehensive survey featuring five candidates, yielding the following results: Trump - 42 percent, Biden - 40 percent, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - 12 percent, Cornel West - 2 percent, Jill Stein - 1 percent.

Despite being relatively unknown - with 77 percent of Kennedy Jr.'s supporters admitting they know "only a little" or "almost nothing" about his policy perspectives, ABC News reports he still garners 12 percent support.

Analysts highlight Kennedy Jr.'s base leans more Republican (54 percent) than Democrat (42 percent). When faced with a choice between the two main candidates, they prefer Trump over Biden, giving the Republican a 13 percentage point lead. Recognizing Kennedy as a threat, Trump has increasingly targeted him in his remarks.

At 70 years old, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, the former US Attorney General tragically assassinated in 1968, and the nephew of the 35th President of the USA, John F. Kennedy.

An environmental activist who opposes COVID-19 vaccinations, he is stepping into the political arena as an independent candidate.

Source: ABC News