Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate Nicole Shanahan could fuel Democrats’ concerns about the independent candidate making the ballot in swing states amid fears he could siphon votes away from President Joe Biden in the November presidential election.
Kennedy on Tuesday announced Shanahan, a California-based attorney and entrepreneur, as his running mate for his presidential bid. While Shanahan does not necessarily bring wide-reaching name recognition to the ticket, she brings a large amount of wealth to the campaign that political observers noted she could use to bolster the campaign ahead of November, including its efforts to make the ballot in key battleground states.
The announcement comes as Democrats have voiced concerns that Kennedy could siphon away votes from Biden in November, though polls suggest it’s unclear whether he would be a bigger threat to Biden or Trump’s chances of victory.
Polls suggest both Biden and Trump are unpopular, and Kennedy is viewed as the independent or third-party candidate with the greatest amount of support, though his stances on issues such as vaccinations and abortion may make it more difficult for him to resonate with Democratic voters who are dissatisfied with Biden.
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Shanahan joining the Kennedy campaign could increase Democratic fears about the Kennedy campaign, according to a report from The New Republic titled “RFK Jr.’s Running Mate Is Young and Very Rich. That Worries Dems.”
Matt Bennett, a co-founder of the Democratic centrist group Third Way told the publication that “anything that divides the anti-Trump coalition is dangerous,” and that her money could be used for “anything, including ballot access.”
Grant Davis Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, told Newsweek how Shanahan could help Kennedy’s campaign make the ballot, but noted these campaign funds may not necessarily translate into support for his campaign.
“Getting on the ballot, the necessary first step, is something that requires organizing the efforts of others. And that requires money. Per past Supreme Court decisions, our laws are set up to allow unlimited expenditures of personal wealth by candidates. Michael Bloomberg is a good example, and he also shows that money does not necessarily ‘buy’ votes, either in a primary contest or a general election,” he said.
Biden should be concerned about his independent run, as some of his economic policies and his family could win over some Democratic voters, according to Reeher. But both parties have shown signs they are concerned about Kennedy, as he may have a message that could “appeal to either party’s disenchanted voters,” he said.
“If the election is close, which it is expected to be, then any third-party candidate who can get even a little traction is a concern,” he said.
Kennedy has already made the ballot in some swing states, including Arizona and Georgia, two states Biden won by less than a single percentage point during the 2020 presidential election.
He has also received enough signatures to make the ballot in Nevada, which Biden previously carried by more than two points. But the state might not accept those signatures, as his petition does not have a vice presidential running mate listed, reported CBS News.
Newsweek reached out to the Biden, Trump and Kennedy campaigns for comment via email.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.