Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Vice Presidential Announcement in Oakland: A Crucial Moment for His Independent White House Bid
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign is gearing up for a significant milestone as he prepares to announce his running mate at a rally in Oakland, California, on Tuesday. This announcement marks an essential moment for Kennedy’s White House bid as it could accelerate his efforts to secure ballot access in all 50 states and broaden his appeal.
The event holds critical significance for Kennedy’s campaign, which has been seeking new support amidst growing concerns from Democrats regarding his potential impact on the election. Kennedy’s vice presidential pick will not only be tasked with helping raise funds for his big-spending campaign but also broadening Kennedy’s appeal to a wider audience.
Kennedy, the son of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, has already made up his mind about his vice presidential choice. Previously reported candidates under consideration include attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Republican Sen. Rand Paul, former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, former television host Mike Rowe, motivational speaker Tony Robbins, and civil rights lawyer Tricia Lindsay.
The location of Kennedy’s announcement is significant; the candidate has stated that his chosen running mate has ties to the Oakland area, where his father also gained strong support during his 1968 presidential campaign. Two of the reported candidates, Shanahan and Rodgers, have prominent ties to the Bay Area – Shanahan was born in Oakland and was previously married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, while Rodgers was born in Chico, California, and played football at the University of California, Berkeley.
Major-party presidential candidates typically announce their vice presidential nominees closer to their party’s nominating conventions in the summer. However, Kennedy is announcing his running mate now so that his campaign can move forward with its ballot access efforts in several states. There are 23 states where Kennedy’s campaign can begin collecting signatures for ballot access petitions as soon as it names a vice presidential nominee.
Despite the significance of Kennedy’s vice presidential announcement, challenges loom for his campaign. The Democratic National Committee has accused Kennedy’s supporting super PAC, American Values 2024, of violating campaign finance laws and illegally coordinating with the Kennedy campaign. Furthermore, Nevada’s Secretary of State has raised concerns regarding Kennedy’s ballot access in that state due to an error in communicating guidelines.
Kennedy has set a goal of qualifying for the ballot in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Currently, he is on the ballot only in Utah. The campaign claims to have gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in New Hampshire, Nevada, and Hawaii, while American Values 2024 has reportedly collected sufficient signatures for Kennedy in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and South Carolina.
Aside from the need to secure ballot access in more than half of the remaining states, Kennedy has yet to reveal which voter demographics he plans to target ahead of his vice presidential announcement. In an interview with News Finder earlier this month, Kennedy stated that his running mate would be “somebody who was aligned with my values, optimistic about our country and its potential, and able to run the country at a moment’s notice.”
Concerns over Kennedy’s vice presidential pick come amid reports of his past advocacy against public health mandates and the influence of money on government decisions. Kennedy founded Children’s Health Defense, an organization that regularly spreads anti-vaccine misinformation, and has promoted conspiracy theories at campaign events. His presidential bid began as a primary challenge to President Joe Biden but later shifted to an independent run in the fall of 2023, drawing criticism from Kennedy family members.
In recent months, Kennedy has been in dialogue with the Libertarian Party regarding a potential alliance. While Democrats continue to argue that Kennedy would function as a spoiler for Trump, it remains unclear which major-party candidate he would draw more support from. According to News Finder polling, Kennedy could take 16% in Pennsylvania and 18% in Michigan in hypothetical four-way matchups against Trump, Biden, and independent candidate Cornel West.
As Kennedy navigates the costly ballot qualification process and a potential general election campaign against Biden and Trump, his vice presidential pick could play a crucial role in boosting fundraising efforts. News Finder reports that the Kennedy campaign raised $3.2 million in February and spent about $2.9 million, ending the month with approximately $5.1 million. American Values 2024 spent $8.8 million in February, primarily on a Super Bowl TV ad that cost $6.2 million. Shanahan reportedly contributed approximately $4 million to help the PAC run the ad and assisted in its production.
Despite Kennedy’s denial of prioritizing a potential running mate’s wealth, concerns remain regarding the influence of money on his campaign and the role that wealthy supporters like Shanahan could play.
Bernard Tamas, a researcher of third parties in the US, stated that Kennedy’s vice presidential announcement may not significantly impact public interest since Americans historically have shown little interest in running mates. However, Kennedy’s running mate could potentially influence fundraising efforts as the campaign faces the expensive ballot qualification process and a general election against Biden and Trump.
Stay tuned for further developments regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign, including his vice presidential announcement and the potential impact on the election landscape.