Former President Donald Trump took to social media alleging potential legal troubles for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, amidst announcing their independent candidacy for the 2024 presidential race. Shanahan's selection, despite her Democratic affiliation and lack of political experience, sparked debate among voters.
Trump took to social media after Kennedy recently announced that he had chosen lawyer and philanthropist Shanahan during a campaign event in her hometown of Oakland.
Some voters were perplexed that she was chosen, considering Shanahan is a registered Democrat with no political or executive experience. Most of her philanthropic support has gone toward mainstream science, while others said she was a fitting choice, especially considering she donated more than $4 million to his campaign.
"RFK Jr. is the most Radical Left Candidate in the race, by far. He's a big fan of the Green New Scam, and other economy killing disasters," the former president wrote via Truth Social after Kennedy added Shanahan to his ticket.
Trump explained that he did find a silver lining about the situation while insisting he has no qualms about RFK Jr.'s bid for the White House, claiming, "I guess this would mean he is going to be taking votes from Crooked Joe Biden, which would be a great service to America."
The former commander-in-chief said that RFK Jr.'s VP pick is even more "liberal" than him, "if that's possible." He claimed, "Kennedy is a Radical Left Democrat, and always will be!!!"
"It's great for MAGA, but the Communists will make it very hard for him to get on the Ballot," Trump stated. "Expect him, and her, to be indicted any day now, probably for Environmental Fraud! He is Crooked Joe Biden's Political Opponent, not mine. I love that he is running!"
Trump’s post came days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named Nicole Shanahan his vice presidential nominee on Tuesday. This added a wealthy but nationally unknown figure to his independent White House campaign, which is attempting to appeal to voters dissatisfied with a rematch of the 2020 election.
Shanahan, a 38-year-old California lawyer and philanthropist, has never been elected. She directs the Bia-Echo Foundation, which she founded to raise funds for issues such as women's reproductive science, criminal justice reform, and environmental causes.
Kennedy, a former Democrat, made the announcement in Oakland, California, where Shanahan grew up in an impoverished family, AP News reported. “Nicole and I both left the Democratic Party,” he said. “Our values didn’t change. The Democratic Party did.”
Kennedy's campaign has alarmed Democrats, who are opposing third-party candidates who could gain support from President Joe Biden and aid former President Donald Trump. However, allies of both Biden and Trump attacked Kennedy and Shanahan on Tuesday, reflecting the uncertainty about how Americans will react to an independent ticket that has little chance of winning Electoral College votes but could draw votes from across the political spectrum.
In the Democratic side, U.S. President Joe Biden will be a close challenger for Donald Trump. The POTUS faced no serious contender for the party's nomination, which he clinched in March.
The November election is said to be much tougher, with the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll putting Biden's voter support at 39%, one percentage point ahead of Trump's 38%, as per an NDTV report.
Biden, the oldest US president ever at 81, must persuade voters that he has the stamina for another four years in office and is more qualified for office than Trump, who is only four years younger, while also combating low approval ratings.
The economy will be a factor in his reelection campaign. While the United States avoided a recession and is growing faster than economists predicted, inflation reached 40-year highs in 2022, and the cost of necessities is weighing on voters.
