A new national poll suggests that a sizable minority of Americans align with a cluster of alternative health and anti-establishment beliefs associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., underscoring the reach of what some researchers are calling the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) worldview.
The survey of 3,851 U.S. adults by Politico and Public First, conducted March 13-18, found that while most Americans do not subscribe to these views, many agree with at least some of the core ideas linked to Kennedy's political movement.
Roughly 3 in 10 respondents indicated agreement with claims that question the safety or effectiveness of vaccines, one of the central issues Kennedy, who is secretary of the Health and Human Services Deparment, has championed.
But just 42% of MAHA supporters said reducing how many vaccines Americans receive are a core issue for the movement. Removing ultra-processed food from American diets and artificial dyes from foods (56% for each) was more important.
Fifty-three percent said increasing physical activity and reducing the impact of "forever chemicals" and microplastics were also core issues.
Eliminating fluoride in water has 67% MAHA support and 43% support from the general public.
Smaller but still significant shares endorsed skepticism of federal health agencies or expressed belief in alternative explanations for chronic disease trends in the U.S.
The poll also suggested that these beliefs are not confined to a single political party.
While they are more common among independents and Republicans, a measurable portion of Democrats also expressed openness to some MAHA-aligned positions, pointing to a broader distrust of institutions that cuts across partisan lines.
Respondents identified as "MAHA-aligned" — those who consistently agreed with multiple related statements — made up a minority of the sample but represented a distinct bloc.
This group was likelier to say the U.S. healthcare system is fundamentally broken, to distrust pharmaceutical companies, and to believe that environmental or government factors are driving major public health problems.
Kennedy, who has built his political identity around challenging mainstream medical and scientific consensus, appears to be benefiting from that sentiment.
Favorability toward him was significantly higher among respondents who held MAHA-aligned views compared to those who did not.
At the same time, the data shows clear limits to the movement's reach.
On most questions, a majority of Americans rejected or expressed skepticism toward the claims associated with MAHA, particularly when framed in more absolute terms.
The poll was conducted online and weighted to reflect national demographics, including age, gender, race, education, and geography.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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