Back in October, Democrats were already starting a collective “freak out” over the chances that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. might announce an independent presidential run.
Even though his views on certain topics sit right-of-center, anyone with the prominent name of “Kennedy” hailing from the most iconic American political dynasty is bound to win some Democratic votes and turn some heads.
Kennedy had a choice to make on running mate which would decidedly plant his flag leaning toward one camp or another. He could select a more moderate, perhaps even center-right VP to balance some of his left-wing views on the environment, for example.
Well, scratch that. Kennedy went all-in to the left by selecting Nicole Shanahan, the former wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin, according to The Hill:
The 38-year-old Shanahan has a remarkable life story. She grew up on welfare, is Asian American, a lawyer, the California-based founder and president of Bia-Echo Foundation — a nonprofit that issues grants for issues including reproductive rights, equality, criminal justice reform and the environment — is a single mother to a daughter with autism and is the former wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin.
Shanahan also immediately checks another critical box for Kennedy: Multiple states require an announced vice-presidential running mate to get on the ballot. With Shanahan now on the ticket, it will create both media attention and increased momentum within those states.
Shanahan is incredibly wealthy and will help with the day-to-day expenses of running a campaign such as the cost to gain ballot access in various states and continued efforts by Democrats to stifle this fledgling operation.
By selecting Shanahan, Kennedy reinforced his left flank and simultaneously gave Biden-backers heartburn, as NBC News reports:
“Everyone thinks this is going to be decided on the head of a pin, so people are freaked out like never before,” said one senior Democrat, granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Democrats have grown increasingly alarmed by Kennedy’s strength in polls, especially since he named Silicon Valley philanthropist Nicole Shanahan as his running mate. Not only could she fund the cash-strapped campaign, but her selection and the way the campaign introduced her signaled that Kennedy is positioning himself more on the left in the 2024 campaign.
Shanahan, who until recently was a sizable Democratic donor, announced on stage that she was leaving the Democratic Party and invited others to join her.
Make no mistake, Shanahan’s plea for others to leave the Democratic Party is not a rejection of left-wing idealogy but more a rejection of the Democratic Party establishment. Just as MAGA has thrown out the Republican establishment, rebel forces on the other side of the aisle side seek to do the same.
What’s different this time around compared to previous failed third-party attempts is the money and name recognition involved. Let’s not pretend RFK Jr. is going to be president, but he could alter the trajectory of the race in razor-thin swing states, as Politico reports:
To date, Kennedy is officially on the November ballot in just one state: Utah. But his campaign and an allied super PAC, American Values 2024, announced in the last month they have collected more than enough signatures to make the ballot in the critical Southwestern battlegrounds of Arizona and Nevada, where roughly one in five voters are Latino.
Those signatures are still subject to challenge, but if Kennedy does appear on the ballot, it could create dire complications for the Biden campaign.
The Kennedy-Shanahan ticket will most assuredly appear on more ballots than just Utah, they now have the money to hire staff and make it happen.
There has been the ongoing burning question as to whether Kennedy’s candidacy hurts Trump or Biden more. After picking Shanahan, the campaign is taking on a left-wing tinge and Republicans are breathing a sigh of relief.
According to recent reports, former Congresswoman (and former Democrat) Tulsi Gabbard was offered the position but rejected it, according to the New York Post:
“I met with Kennedy several times, and we have become good friends. He asked if I would be his running mate. After careful consideration, I respectfully declined,” Gabbard said in a statement obtained by The Post.
Gabbard would’ve pulled Kennedy’s campaign to the right and taken a most populist tone. In that regard, Gabbard, who is often seen praising Trump, would’ve been accused by MAGA of hurting the former President’s chances in November.
As it stands now, RFK Jr. is a problem for Democrats and in a much bigger way than Jill Stein was for Hillary Clinton back in 2016.
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