Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has tapped Nicole Shanahan, a Silicon Valley lawyer, as his running mate for president.
RFK Jr. made the announcement during an event in Oakland on Tuesday. “I’m so proud to introduce to you the next vice president of the United States, my fellow lawyer, a brilliant scientist, technologist, a fierce warrior mom: Nicole Shanahan.” He also noted that she is “an avid surfer who attended school on a softball scholarship.”
“I am confident that there’s no American more qualified to play this role than Nicole Shanahan,” RFK Jr. said.
Livestream viewers weren’t as confident.
The New York Timesreported earlier on Tuesday that the political scion would announce Shanahan as his pick for vice president, confirming a report from Mediaite earlier this month. Kennedy was reportedly considering a colorful slew of candidates, including conspiracy theorizing New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers; former wrestler, actor, and Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura; and rapper Killer Mike.
Shanahan is a California attorney and the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The Times notes that she has a history of donating to Democratic candidates, including President Joe Biden. She recently forked over $4 million to help finance a Super Bowl ad for Kennedy’s campaign, one in which he compared himself to his uncle, John F. Kennedy. The Kennedy family has largely opposed RFK Jr.’s run, and his cousin Bobby Shriver bashed the ad for using the family’s faces to promote RKF JR.’s “deadly health care views.” Kennedy ultimately apologized for the ad.
“I’m so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God bless you.”
Kennedy is probably best known for pushing conspiracy theories around the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccines more broadly. Shanahan said she is “not an anti-vaxxer” in an interview with the Times.
