RFK Jr. names Silicon Valley attorney Nicole Shanahan as running mate

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named attorney and tech entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his running mate Tuesday at a rally in Oakland, California.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named attorney and tech entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his running mate Tuesday at a rally in Oakland, California. “I’m so proud to introduce to you the next vice president the United States, my fellow lawyer, a brilliant scientist, technologist, a fierce warrior mom, Nicole Shanahan,” Kennedy said. Shanahan’s selection will accelerate Kennedy’s attempt to gain ballot access in as many states as possible. Nearly half require a vice presidential pick to advance that process. Shanahan will also be tasked with broadening Kennedy’s appeal and helping raise money to fuel his big-spending campaign. There has been speculation that the wealthy 38-year-old, who was previously married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, could reach into her own pockets to aid the cause. Kennedy said he selected Shanahan in part because he wanted someone with whom he shares common values on agriculture, health care and Big Tech, while also aligning with Kennedy’s vision on how leaders should carry themselves. “I wanted a partner who is a gifted administrator, but also possesses the gift of curiosity, an open, inquiring mind and the confidence to change even her strongest opinions in the face of contrary evidence. I wanted someone with a spiritual dimension and compassion and idealism and, above all, a deep love of the United States of America,” Kennedy said. While major-party presidential candidates typically announce their vice presidential nominees closer to their party’s nominating conventions in the summer, Kennedy is moving now so his campaign can transition into the next phase of its ballot access efforts.