RFK Jr. Claims He Will 'Never Choose' a VP Based on 'How Much Money' They Have

As he approaches the announcement of his running mate for the independent presidential campaign, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is speaking with potential vice presidential contenders. As reported by The Hill, Kennedy revealed on Tuesday to Chris Cuomo of NewsNation, "We, our campaign is one of the principal priorities of our campaign is bringing young people into politics and addressing the deprivation that is now and the hopelessness that is affecting this generation."

Cuomo urged Kennedy to respond to criticism and rumors that he was 'willing to pay for an election' by choosing wealthy lawyer and investor Nicole Shanahan. He said, "Yeah, I mean, I would never choose a vice presidential candidate based on how much money that they have. I talked to Aaron, as you pointed out, I’ve talked to many, many others. We like some of the reasons. I talked to Nicole. There’s some of the same reasons, they’re young." According to a Mediaite article, Shanahan, a Democratic fundraiser and former spouse of Google cofounder Sergey Brin, paid for Kennedy's extravagant Super Bowl campaign ad.

According to those close to the campaign, the two 'align on numerous issues,' including his disapproval of vaccinations, and she may assist in raising money for Kennedy's unlikely campaign and getting him on ballots in all 50 states. Kennedy had mentioned earlier that he was contemplating Aaron Rodgers as his potential Vice President. Kennedy further confessed to Cuomo, "Nicole, like Aaron, like Aaron Rodgers, has been interested in in regenerative agriculture and press freedom in ending the chronic disease epidemic in addressing the, you know, the terrible national debt 34 trillion dollars again, that’s hitting these young people. So, you know, I like both of them."

Kennedy, a member of one of the most powerful political dynasties in the country, concentrated on obtaining ballot access, a costly and drawn-out procedure that he claimed would need gathering over a million signatures on a state-by-state basis. The early pressure on Kennedy to choose a running companion came from the fact that many states require independent candidates to select a running mate before they can file for office. Nominees for vice president are often chosen by major party contenders closer to their summer conventions. Like Kennedy, Aaron Rodgers, a former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers and current member of the New York Jets, is a regular on anti-establishment podcasts and has a similar mistrust of vaccination requirements.

Before declaring an independent candidacy in October, Kennedy first faced President Joe Biden as a Democrat. He has been continuously polling double digits behind President Biden and former President Donald Trump, making him the front-runner among third-party candidates. Kennedy's campaign claims it will cost them $15 million to be on the ballot in every state as an independent. Therefore, they have been trying to get funds for that. Kennedy concluded the interview by stating that he believed the campaign had several 'great candidates that we talked to' and that on Tuesday, March 26, in Oakland, California, he would make his vice presidential choice public.