RFK Jr.'s exit shakes up 2024 race. But how much does his endorsement actually help Trump?

CHICAGO − The abrupt exit of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his endorsement of Donald Trump has shaken up the 2024 White House race with just 74 days until Election Day − but whether it's a boon for the Republican presidential nominee remains unclear.

Though polling suggests former President Trump could benefit from the suspended campaign of the independent Kennedy − a conspiracy theorist, environmental advocate and son of the late liberal icon Robert F. Kennedy − political analysts question whether it's a major gain.

"It has very little impact in the national polling," said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. "The question is, what will the impact be in the swing states? And from what we've seen, it's probably going to be marginal."

Given the growing negative perceptions that voters have about Kennedy, his endorsement poses a risk to Trump, who is no stranger to courting controversy.

In long, rambling remarks Friday announcing he is "suspending" his candidacy, Kennedy said he is throwing his support to Trump. He made clear his opposition of Vice President Kamala Harris and used a long windup to his speech to rail on the Democratic Party.