Former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard let it be known that she was offered an opportunity to be Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate and opted not to join the independent ticket.
“I met with Kennedy several times, and we have become good friends,” Gabbard told ABC News. “He asked if I would be his running mate. After careful consideration, I respectfully declined.”
Now a Fox News contributor, Gabbard was among a small group of notables rumored to be included in the RFK Jr. veepstakes. Other names included former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Kennedy announced last week that Silicon Valley lawyer Nicole Shanahan, 38, would be his running mate — she was once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, the 10th-richest person on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, and bankrolled a controversial Super Bowl ad for Kennedy earlier this year, according to the New York Post.
The newspaper reported that a source close to the Kennedy campaign confirmed to ABC that there were talks with Gabbard about being his vice presidential running mate.
“There were definitely meetings, but it didn’t work out,” the source reportedly said.
“We talked to a bunch of people,” the person added. “Tulsi’s a rock star no matter what.”
Gabbard has been mentioned as a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump, and she did not reject the idea.
“I would be open to that,” she told Fox News host Jesse Watters last month about being Trump’s vice presidential candidate, adding that her “mission is to serve our country.”
NBC News cited a source last month who said Gabbard “was enticed” by the chance of serving on Kennedy’s ticket but is more focused on the possibility of joining Trump.
“My understanding is that Tulsi is convinced that Trump is going to pick her,” this person said. “Had that not been the case, she probably would have gone with Kennedy.”
Gabbard is releasing a book this month, “For Love of Country: Leave the Democrat Party Behind,” which chronicles her exit from the party.
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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