Potential Contenders for RFK Jr.’s Vice President Pick

When he announces his running mate on March 26 in Oakland, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hopes to see an influx of cash and momentum as he continues his quest to get on the ballot of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Speculation about who Mr. Kennedy will choose as his vice president has been mounting for months.

Anticipation escalated over the past week as the campaign faces a sense of urgency. Multiple states require that a vice president be named in order for an independent candidate to collect and submit petitions for ballot access.

Mr. Kennedy announced on March 13 that he had selected a running mate and that the candidate would be announced on March 26.

“Because of your support, this is now the most successful independent campaign in decades. Together, we have shown that Americans really are tired of the vitriol and division. Americans are looking for a leader who can ‘Heal the Divide,’ Mr. Kennedy wrote on social media platform X.

“On Tuesday, March 26th, in Oakland, California, I will announce the partner that I’ve chosen to help lead America into a brighter vision of peace, prosperity, and unity. We would be honored for you to join us for this historic announcement.”

Bay Area lawyer, entrepreneur, and investor Nicole Shanahan has been mentioned as the frontrunner by multiple media outlets.

“While I can’t share a name, I will say that I could not be more thrilled with Bobby’s decision. He ran a thorough process and has chosen a vice president who is truly worthy of the American people,” Amaryllis Kennedy, Mr. Kennedy’s daughter-in-law and campaign manager, wrote on X.

Mr. Kennedy launched his campaign in April 2023 to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democrat Party nomination.

Claiming that the Democratic  National Committee was “rigging the primary” and not allowing any candidate to compete against President Biden, Mr. Kennedy announced in October 2023 that he would run as an independent.

As of Feb. 22, the Real Clear Politics average of polls indicated that Mr. Kennedy had 15 percent support in a three-way race with former President Donald Trump (39.8 percent) and President Biden (35.5 percent).

In multiple national polls, Mr. Kennedy has led all presidential candidates in favorability rating, and he also sat atop one national survey of voters younger than 35 and independent voters.

Mr. Kennedy told The Epoch Times that he would like a running mate who connects with younger voters and has the qualities of a leader who can run the country.

Here are candidates who have been mentioned as Mr. Kennedy’s potential vice president:

Nicole Shanahan

Ms. Shanahan, 38, co-funded and helped develop Mr. Kennedy’s $7 million Super Bowl campaign ad.

The ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin and a registered Democrat, Ms. Shanahan was raised in Oakland.

Mediaite reported that the domain name kennedyshanahan.com was registered on March 13.

A longtime donor to Democrat presidential campaigns, Ms. Shanahan founded Clear Access IP (now IPwe), a tech law firm that incorporates AI to analyze and manage client patent portfolios.

In 2020, she left the company and founded the Bia-Echo Foundation, which according to its website invests in “reproductive longevity and equality, criminal justice reform and a healthy and livable planet.”

Ms. Shanahan told USA Today that she is “definitely interested” in further supporting RFK Jr. for president. “In my opinion, he is the best presidential candidate we have on the issues close to my heart: environmental health, regenerative agriculture, and social justice,” she said.

Tulsi Gabbard

Rumored to be on President Donald Trump’s short-list of running mates, Ms. Gabbard has also been linked to Mr. Kennedy as a possible vice president pick.

A four-term former member of Congress from Hawaii, Ms. Gabbard is the author of a new book with the subtitle of “Leave the Democrat Party Behind” that is published by a firm owned by Anthony Lyons, who is the co-chairman of American Values 2024, a Kennedy-aligned Super PAC.

NBC News reported that Mr. Kennedy met with Ms. Gabbard when he was campaigning in Hawaii in January.

Ms. Gabbard has remained involved in libertarian politics and she recently appeared at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum. Mr. Kennedy is reportedly considering running as a Libertarian and spoke at the California Libertarian Party’s annual convention in February.

Aaron Rodgers

Many pundits noted that Mr. Rodgers could help to further fuel Mr. Kennedy’s support among younger voters.

The 40-year-old Mr. Rodgers is still under contract with the Jets after tearing his Achilles tendon in the 2023 season opener and being sidelined for the rest of the year.

Since the COVID-19 vaccine was introduced, Mr. Rodgers has been outspoken about health issues that can result from taking the shot.

He told podcaster Joe Rogan that he has lost friends and sponsorship deals because of his decision not to get vaccinated.

Mr. Kennedy told Fox News: “I really like Aaron because, you know, our appeal is to young people, we’re trying to make sure the young people are participating in the political process, that they have hoped for America.

“We want somebody young who’s going to look out for that generation. Aaron Rodgers is battle-tested.

“He’s a critical thinker, and I think we need that at the time as you know the rise of AI [artificial intelligence].

“We need people who understand that you cannot always trust authority just because somebody’s in charge. It doesn’t mean that they’re telling you the truth, and we want somebody who’s going to critically examine.”

Jesse Ventura

Like Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Ventura is an outspoken critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and safety.

Mr. Ventura, 72, gained acclaim in the 1970s and 1980s as a professional wrestler known as Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

He appeared in movies and television shows before entering the Minnesota gubernatorial race as a Reform Party headliner. He was a longshot candidate but prevailed and served one term.

In an interview on a YouTube podcast in December 2023, Mr. Ventura was asked if he would accept an offer to run on Mr. Kennedy’s ticket.

“I would give it serious consideration. I won’t tell you ‘yes’ or ’no.’ It will depend on my personal life. Would I want to commit myself at 72 for one year of hell [campaigning] and then four years [in office]?” Mr. Ventura said with a grin.

Tyrel Ventura, Mr. Ventura’s son, released a statement on March 12 noting that his father “has not been officially asked to be a [vice presidential] candidate” and that “he will not comment on speculations.”

Mike Rowe

Earlier this month, Mr. Rowe, who is best known as the host of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs,” talked about a meeting that he had with Mr. Kennedy.

“The bottom line is when a serious person who’s willing to throw themselves into this meat grinder taps you on the shoulder and says, ‘Hey, I would really like you to consider this. Would you?’ You take the meeting,” Mr. Rowe said.

He said that he talked to Mr. Kennedy about a wide range of issues—including public health, foreign policy, and the economy—and said that Mr. Kennedy doesn’t want a vice president who agrees with him on everything.

Mr. Kennedy is interested in building a “team of rivals” as his advisers and doesn’t want to surround himself with “yes men and yes women,” Mr. Rowe said.

“The funny thing through all of it was … I must have reminded him a dozen times that I’m probably not your guy. We don’t agree on this. We don’t agree on that,” he said.

“Look, I’m in business with people in the energy business who he’s sued multiple times over the years. And he laughed and said, ‘Yeah, I know that. I just don’t believe I’m going to find anyone who agrees with me on every single thing. And I really like what you stand for,’” Mr. Rowe said.

Scott Brown

Mr. Kennedy reportedly spoke to former Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who also served as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.

Mr. Brown declined.

A supporter who attended a fundraiser for Mr. Kennedy posted a video on March 15 on X in which the candidate was asked about his vice president choice. “We have an extraordinary person. I can’t tell you who it is, but it’s not any of the people they’re talking about. It’s somebody that is going to surprise people, and I think the country is really going to fall in love with,” Mr. Kennedy replied.