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Impartial presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intends to announce Tuesday that Nicole Shanahan, a rich lawyer and entrepreneur within the San Francisco Bay Space, might be becoming a member of his marketing campaign as his vice presidential choice, in keeping with two sources aware of the Kennedy marketing campaign’s plans.
Shanahan, who like Kennedy has by no means run for elected workplace, has contributed to his marketing campaign and mentioned she gave to his tremendous PAC.
The Kennedy marketing campaign has an announcement occasion scheduled later Tuesday in Oakland, California.
Kennedy’s choose comes at a key inflection level for his marketing campaign. Impartial presidential candidates need to navigate totally different guidelines for getting on the poll state by state, largely involving gathering hundreds of petition signatures. However in additional than half of states, independents are required to file their nominating papers with a named operating mate, and a few of these deadlines are approaching rapidly.
Kennedy thought of quite a lot of potential operating mates throughout his vice presidential search, together with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and TV host Mike Rowe. Rowe described his interview to NBC Information, saying Kennedy ran via key coverage positions and defended his anti-vaccine advocacy.
However in the end, the sources mentioned Kennedy homed in on Shanahan, who beforehand was concerned within the manufacturing of an attention-grabbing Super Bowl ad supporting Kennedy in February.
Shanahan told The New York Times that she helped make the advert and gave $4 million to the tremendous PAC American Values 2024 final month to air it, although federal marketing campaign finance information don’t present a contribution from Shanahan to the group via February.
However becoming a member of Kennedy’s ticket seems to open a pathway for Shanahan to inject her personal wealth immediately into the marketing campaign as an alternative of into an outdoor group, which might permit Kennedy to make use of the funds for key tasks like gathering petition signatures for poll entry.
Federal Election Commission rules counsel that vice presidential are free to contribute their very own cash to their very own marketing campaign with no limitations — identical to a presidential candidate, so long as the ticket isn’t searching for public funding.