Threats and Challenges: RFK Jr.'s Former Running Mate Warns Senators
Nicole Shanahan, the philanthropist who was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate last year, issued a stern warning to senators considering his nomination as Health and Human Services secretary. Shanahan made it clear that a vote against Kennedy Jr. will trigger a campaign to oust them from office.
Threatening Primaries for Dissent
“While Bobby may be willing to play nice, I won’t if you vote against him,” Shanahan declared in a video shared on X Tuesday evening. She vowed to personally finance challengers to primary any senator who opposes Kennedy Jr. and promised to rally hundreds of thousands to her cause.
Targeting Senators Across the Aisle
In her message, Shanahan named both Democratic and Republican senators, including Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who had voted against Pete Hegseth’s nomination as Defense secretary.
She also singled out Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, emphasizing her significant contributions to their election campaigns and warning that she would be closely monitoring their votes.
Call to Action
Shanahan urged her followers to contact their respective senators and push for Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation.
Background and Influence
Formerly the founder of a patent management firm, Shanahan’s wealth is attributed to her marriage to billionaire Google co-founder Sergey Brin, from whom she divorced in 2022. She joined forces with Kennedy Jr. as his running mate during his unsuccessful independent presidential bid, having injected millions into a pro-Kennedy Super PAC that supported a Super Bowl advertisement last year. Shanahan’s political contributions extend to notable Democrats such as Hillary Clinton in 2016 and former President Joe Biden in 2020.
Challenges and Controversies
Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Health and Human Services secretary has been met with intense scrutiny due to his anti-vaccine stance and unorthodox health beliefs. Facing the Senate Finance Committee with uncertain confirmation, Kennedy Jr. has been labeled a ‘predator’ by his cousin, Caroline Kennedy.
As the nomination process unfolds, Shanahan’s threats and challenges add a layer of complexity to Kennedy Jr.’s path to confirmation.
