Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the environmental and anti-vaccine activist, is on the verge of announcing his vice presidential running mate, according to his campaign manager Amaryllis Fox Kennedy. The shortlist includes some unexpected names, such as NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, as well as political figures like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
Kennedy's campaign has approached several potential candidates, but not all of them are open to running with him. Sen. Rand Paul, who met with Kennedy at his Senate office on Jan. 10, indicated that he would decline an invitation to join the presidential ticket. "I'm supportive of his ability to have a platform to speak out. I think he's saying a lot of good things. But I have no plans to get involved in the campaign," Paul said in a brief interview on Capitol Hill.
Tulsi Gabbard, who was initially rumored to be a potential running mate for Kennedy, has reportedly stopped cooperating with the campaign's VP vetting team. Instead, she has shifted her focus to supporting former President Donald Trump's candidacy, hosting a fundraiser for him at his Mar-a-Lago club following last week's Super Tuesday elections.
Kennedy's candidacy has garnered both popularity and controversy, largely due to his long-standing advocacy against vaccines and his occasional comments showing support for policies associated with Trump. He has drawn a celebrity following, particularly among those who share his skepticism of vaccines, including Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, who is slated to be the starting quarterback for the New York Jets this year, sparked controversy in 2021 when he told media he was "immunized" against Covid-19 but later revealed he had not received a vaccine shot. Despite his lack of political experience, Rodgers is reportedly under serious consideration by Kennedy, with the two having been in "pretty continuous" talks over the last month, according to The New York Times.
Another potential running mate is Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota who introduced Kennedy at a rally in Tucson. Ventura, who won an upset victory in the 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial race as an independent, is reportedly the most popular choice among under-thirty voters to be Kennedy's vice-presidential running mate, according to a blog post by Kennedy's biographer for the super PAC supporting his campaign.
With just two days left until Kennedy's self-imposed 60-day deadline to name a running mate, the campaign is under pressure to make a decision. The chosen candidate will need to be listed in about 24 states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida, to collect valid signatures to appear on the ballot.
Despite the buzz surrounding his potential running mates, Kennedy faces an uphill battle as a third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential election. Historically, independent candidates have struggled to gain significant ground against their Republican and Democratic counterparts. However, Kennedy's unique platform and celebrity support may help him attract a dedicated following and inject new issues into the national political discourse.
As the campaign enters its final stages of the vice presidential selection process, all eyes will be on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to see who he ultimately chooses as his running mate and how this decision will shape his unconventional bid for the White House.
