RFK Jr. likely to toss conservative support under Big Tech bus with expected running mate

Barring a major development, the Rose Garden rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump is all but assured, leaving many party-weary Americans eyeing Independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. as a possible alternative.

Whether traditional party voters will be willing in November to defect to the Kennedy camp will, in large part, depend on who the underdog chooses as his running mate.

And, if the Mediaite rumors are true, Kennedy’s campaign may be about to toss any conservative support he may have conjured under a Big Tech bus.

As BizPac Review reported, Kennedy is expected to confirm his choice at an event in Oakland, Calif., on March 26.

Several names have been floated for the gig, with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura reportedly on the shortlist.

On Thursday, conservatives on the cusp of backing Kennedy cheered when “Dirty Jobs” icon Mike Rowe told CNN that he and the candidate had a “serious” discussion about the blue-collar champion’s potential future as veep.

Rowe called the conversation “unexpected” and said, “For the first time in my life, I found myself having kind of a really serious conversation about what that even means.”


But, according to Mediaite’s “exclusive,” Kennedy “is planning to tap Nicole Shanahan, a California-based attorney and entrepreneur once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brinn, as his running mate.”

“The ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Shanahan was partially responsible for the Kennedy 2024 Super Bowl ad last month,” the Washington Examiner reports. “She told the New York Times she donated $4 million to American Values 2024, the super PAC supporting Kennedy’s candidacy, to help cover the $7 million cost and helped coordinate the production of the ad.”

According to People Magazine, a “scandal” broke in July 2022 that her 2021 split from Brinn was prompted by an alleged affair she had with none other than X’s favorite rabble-rouser, billionaire Elon Musk.

“Shanahan and Musk both denied the affair,” People reported, but the Wall Street Journal, which originally revealed the alleged indiscretion, told People it is “confident in our sourcing, and we stand by our reporting.”

(Video: YouTube)

Shannon and Kennedy “align on numerous issues,” according to Mediaite’s source, who is allegedly “close with the campaign.”

“The campaign is also looking for a candidate who can help finance the ballot access initiative,” the source said — a “crucial” skill, according to the outlet, “if Kennedy stands a chance of competing in the election.”

“She might be infusing millions of dollars into the campaign to help fund the ballot initiative, which makes her attractive financially,” the source added, “however, she lacks the qualifications to actually do the job.”

She also appears to lack the ability to excite many right-leaning voters.

“There was a time, albeit it a brief amount of time, where I believed that Bobby Kennedy was sincere and legitimate and honest and truly what he said he was and actually was what we thought he was,” wrote “Lionel,” a popular X user. “But, as you can see, that moment is now over. Permanently.”


“This selection would mean he’s just deliberately attempting to stop Biden from being re-elected, or that would at least be the outcome, because this resume does zero to broaden any of RFK Jr.’s appeal to dissident Republicans,” noted Blaze Media’s Steve Deace.

“I think he knows that he can’t get enough votes this time to be president,” replied a Deace follower. “I also think that he is willing to do whatever it takes to stick it to the DNC.”

“They will take this ticket as exactly that,” Deace agreed, “and Democrats will bring their full fury as a result.”

The potential pick has previously identified herself as a “progressive,” according to the Examiner.

“Shanahan, who called herself a ‘progressive through and through,’ donated to President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and contributed the maximum $6,600 to Kennedy’s 2024 campaign while he was still seeking the Democratic Party nomination, according to the Times,” the outlet reports. “She reportedly said she was ‘very disappointed’ when Kennedy decided to run as an independent instead, but she has since come around.”

Kennedy, meanwhile, has said that his pick is “extraordinary” but “it’s not any of the people they’ve been talking about.”

“It’s somebody that is going to surprise people,” the candidate said, “and I think the country is really gonna fall in love with.”

 

Melissa Fine

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles