MichMash: How will Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign affect the 2024 presidential election?

May 3, 2024

“MichMash” host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer’s Zach Gorchow sat down with the Detroit Free Press’ Emily Lawler to unpack the impact of his third party candidacy.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks to supporters during a campaign event, Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Royal Oak, Mich.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks to supporters during a campaign event, Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Royal Oak, Mich.

  Third party candidates notoriously draw votes away from either Republicans or Democrats, but which voters will Robert F. Kennedy Jr. be drawing from in the 2024 presidential election? MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow sat down with the Detroit Free Press’ state politics and government editor, Emily Lawler to unpack the impact the third party candidacy will have. 

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In this episode:
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and why people are attracted to him as a candidate
  • The most exciting elections in Michigan for 2024
  • The Detroit Free Press’ project to profile various counties in the state as part of its election coverage
Lawler believes that despite Trump being in his third presidential election cycle, this election will be different. “I think there are people who are not interested in engaging with politics,” said Lawler. This condition might create a lane for a third-party candidate like Kennedy to have a historically unique outcome, she said.  “I would expect to see way more interests in a third party candidate this cycle than we’ve seen in previous cycles. The challenge for RFK Jr. is that it’s not clear who he is pulling from,” Lawler said. “The proportionality will end up mattering a lot. The other thing is ballot access. He is on Michigan’s ballot. I wonder what his prognosis is for getting on the ballot in all the 50 states.”  Robert F. Kennedy is the biggest target for voters with wandering eyes.   More from WDET: More from Gongwer News Service:

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Author

  • WDET reporter and producer Hernz Laguerre Jr.
    Hernz Laguerre Jr. is a Multimedia Journalist at 101.9 WDET. He is one of the co-host for "Detroit Evening Report," one of the weekend anchors for "Weekend Edition," the producer for our political podcast, "MichMash," and reports on arts, culture and politics.

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