Trumpworld Eyes RFK Jr. Endorsement as a Way to Blunt Democrats’ Momentum

As Democrats dominate the news cycle with blockbuster convention speeches and displays of party unity, Donald Trump’s campaign is hoping Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anticipated exit and endorsement blunt any postconvention polling bounce Kamala Harris may get. “Trump understands numbers and knows RFK’s support is coming from Trump. This will give Trump a nice pop,” a top GOP strategist says.

How much of a pop is unclear, as some Kennedy backers could end up sitting out a two-person race. But according to a person close to Trump, the campaign projects Kennedy’s support could add two points in the critical swing states of Arizona and Pennsylvania. In a razor-tight race, that might tip the election toward Trump. “He is a very good person. If he endorsed me, I would be honored by it,” Trump said Thursday morning on Fox & Friends.

Underscoring the importance of Kennedy’s expected departure from the race, another source close to Trump says it would be catastrophic for Trump if Kennedy were to stay in. “Bobby running third party would crush him. They have the same voters,” the source says.

Trumpworld is hoping that Kennedy’s endorsement will reset a campaign narrative that’s been upended by Trump’s self-sabotage and the surge of enthusiasm for Harris. Sources close to Trump say campaign chiefs Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita continue to encourage Trump to focus on policy over personal grievances. “There’s a total focus on the electoral map and trying to get him to carry a better message,” a top GOP strategist says.

Their efforts to keep Trump focused will likely be complicated by Trump’s surprise decision to hire 2016 campaign manager Corey Lewandowski as a senior adviser. Lewandowski, whose mantra has been “let Trump be Trump,” is known for encouraging Trump’s most feral instincts. Lewandowski also has a well-documented history of being the locus of campaign infighting and the subject of allegations of assault and sexual misconduct. (He has denied the accusations.) Lewandowski didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Lewandowski’s influence appeared to be on display at a raucous rally in North Carolina on Wednesday. Onstage, Trump mocked his advisers’ calls to stick to policy. “You know, they always say, ‘Sir, please stick to policy, don’t get personal,’ and yet they’re getting personal all night long, these people,” Trump said, responding to Democrats’ attacks. “My advisers are fired,” Trump later joked. “No. We’d rather keep it on policy. But sometimes it’s hard when you’re attacked from all ends.”

Another liability is that the Democrats might bait Trump into launching self-destructive attacks. The parade of convention speakers, including Barack and Michelle Obama, have been eviscerating Trump onstage in Chicago. In North Carolina, Trump said: “Did you see Barack Hussein Obama last night taking little shots? He was taking shots at your president and so was Michelle.” (Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed the Obamas’ speeches as “more unfounded personal attacks from washed-up Democrats because they don’t have any real solutions for the problems everyday Americans face.”)

It will be days until polls absorb the impact of the Democratic convention. But those in Trumpworld are already spinning that the race hasn’t fundamentally changed. They cite internal polling that indicates support for Harris has been “softening” since her economic policy speech last week. “We’re trending up in every swing state, according to our internals,” one of the sources says. The source notes that Harris can’t win on vibes alone. “The Dems didn’t offer any details. A secret plan to fix [Joe] Biden’s failure isn’t a winning message,” the source adds. 

Money also remains a challenge for Trump. Harris raised a staggering $310 million in July, according to the most recent fundraising report. The Trump campaign raised less than half that amount during the same period. Earlier this month, Trump reportedly frustrated donors at a Hamptons fundraiser when he reverted to stolen-election conspiracies. One Republican strategist says Trump’s new donors were scratching their heads at the bizarre things the ex-president said. “The new donors are getting to see the real Donald and think he’s crazy,” the strategist says.