Devendra Kumar
Robert F Kennedy Jr has chosen Nicole Shanahan, a 38-year-old California lawyer and philanthropist, to be his vice presidential pick as he mounts an independent White House bid. Kennedy and Shanahan are both former Democrats who left the party due to a change in its values. Without the backing of a party, Kennedy faces a daunting challenge in getting on the ballot, with different rules across the 50 states. He has chosen a running mate now because about half of the states require him to designate one before applying for ballot access.
Shanahan leads the Bia-Echo Foundation, which directs money towards various causes such as women’s reproductive science, criminal justice reform, and environmental issues. Kennedy’s supporters are eager for him to choose a running mate who will complement him and balance him out, with some even calling for Shanahan to lean a little more right to appeal to a broader audience.
National Democrats are worried about third-party options like Kennedy’s campaign, fearing they could draw support away from President Joe Biden and inadvertently help Donald Trump. As Biden and Trump are both broadly unpopular with the public, they will compete for the votes of people who are not enthusiastic about either of them. Kennedy’s campaign has already collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in Utah and claims to have secured access in several other states, including Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, although election officials have not yet signed off.
Kennedy’s campaign has also faced challenges in Nevada, where Democratic Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar has ruled that Kennedy must nominate a vice presidential candidate before collecting signatures. Kennedy’s campaign lawyers have accused Aguilar of doing the bidding of the Democratic National Committee, calling the move “the epitome of corruption.” With Kennedy’s ballot access effort in Nevada already facing legal challenges, he will need to start again in collecting signatures in the state.
Despite these challenges, Kennedy remains committed to his independent bid. As the descendant of a storied Democratic family, which includes his father Robert F Kennedy and uncle former president John F Kennedy, Kennedy’s campaign has a strong financial backing from donors and a super PAC. Kennedy began his campaign as a primary challenge to Biden but last autumn decided to run as an independent instead. Kennedy’s reputation as an activist, author, and lawyer who fought for environmental causes such as clean water has earned him a strong following, and his independent bid could potentially shake up the political terrain.