Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to tap California attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his running mate, according to a report.
Shanahan, a Democratic donor who was once married to Google cofounder Sergey Brin, funded Kennedy’s pricey Super Bowl campaign commercial, Mediaite reported Saturday.
The pair “align on numerous issues,” including his condemnation of vaccines, and she can help funnel money into Kennedy’s long-shot bid and get him on ballots in all 50 states, sources close to the campaign told the outlet.
The pick notably keeps New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whom Kennedy said was considering as his Vice President, off the November ballot.
Kennedy’s campaign declined to confirm that he’s made a decision.
“There has been a lot of speculation in the media about Mr. Kennedy’s pick of vice presidential running mate,” his campaign’s press office told The Post in a statement.
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“The official announcement will be on March 26 in Oakland, CA. We hope to see you there.”
Shanahan, 38, told The New York Times last month she had given $4 million to the super PAC, American Values 2024, to fund the $7 million 30-second Super Bowl commercial.
While claimnig to not be an “anti-vaxxer,” she said she shared Kennedy’s constant attacks on vaccines. She also describes herself as a progressive who cares about children’s health.
She donated to President Biden’s campaign in 2020 and gave the maximum $6,600 to Kennedy’s campaign in May 2023 while he was still seeking the Democratic nomination, according to records obtained by The Times.
The Bay Area attorney was married to Google’s Brin in 2018 — but they officially divorced last summer after she was reportedly romantically involved with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Musk and Brin were previously longtime friends, and Musk frequently stayed over at Brin’s home, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2022.
However, the two reportedly had a falling out following Musk and Shanahan’s brief fling in December 2021, when Brin requested that his financial advisers sell his personal investments in Musk’s companies.
Musk and Shanahan have denied the allegations.
“This is total bs,” Musk posted on X in July 2022, in response to a user who shared the WSJ article.
“I’ve only seen Nicole twice in three years, both times with many other people around. Nothing romantic,” he added.
Brin filed for a dissolution of marriage from Shanahan in January 2022. The couple shares a young daughter together, according to People.
Kennedy initially ran as a Democrat against President Biden before announcing an independent bid in October. He has been polling as the top third party candidate in the field, consistently cracking double-digits behind President Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Others on Kennedy’s short list included former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who, along with Rodgers, was “at the top of his list,” he told the New York Times this week.
Kennedy has been working to secure funding to get on the ballot in every state as an independent, which his campaign says it will cost them $15 million. So far, he’s only qualified for the ballot in four states: Hawaii, Nevada, New Hampshire and Utah.
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