Dear Editor,
We hear so many numbers that we forget how large single digits can be —especially when followed by a percent sign. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has left the 2024 presidential race, but his polling numbers could still cause havoc on Election Day. Those votes could be channeled to Donald Trump. If you weren’t voting for Kennedy anyway, his recent “Bear-in-central-park” story might register as nothing more than a chuckle. If you’re a Trump supporter, Kennedy’s exit is likely good news, but future rogue third-party hopefuls remain capable of complicating both Democratic and Republican plans. If Harris-Walz wins in November but struggles, an upstart Liberal contender might offer a more convincing “politics of joy” in 2028. A Fresh-faced Conservative upstart could introduce whatever version of Republicanism exists in four years.
Elections have turned on less than 2% (see John Kennedy vs. Richard Nixon-1960, or George W. Bush vs. Al Gore-2000). Two percent, in interest rates or votes, can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars or votes. That third-partier’s 2% could cause whoever you’re voting for to lose. Be careful what you chuckle over.
Jim Newton
