Kennedy broke the news from an event in Oakland, California, during a speech in which he sought to illustrate how his 2024 bid will differ from that of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Shanahan is the daughter of immigrants “who overcame all daunting obstacles and reached the highest levels of the American dream,” said the presidential hopeful, who in October decided to split from the Democratic Party to continue his path alone.
The choice of the 38-year-old lawyer by Kennedy, 70, added the element of diversity and gender to the pairing.
Shanahan, the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, financed most of Kennedy’s Super Bowl ad on Feb. 11, but the candidate denied in an interview with NewsNation that her resources were the main reason for his choice.
While clearing the unknown of his eventual vice president will technically help Kennedy qualify for more states, he still lacks a large majority before being considered a top-tier contender, local media pointed out.
So far he has appeared on ballots in New Hampshire, Utah and Hawaii and his super PAC noted that they have independently collected signatures for him in some important battlegrounds such as Michigan and Georgia.
Kennedy allies are hoping that the addition of Shanahan will generate more enthusiasm for his campaign – which for some critics thought at this point was gone – and, in particular, attract new donors and supporters to his effort before state deadlines pass in the immediate future.
The son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was U.S. Attorney General (1961-1964), and nephew of President John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), both of whom were assassinated, the current candidate is running for the White House, which has already declared support for the eventual Democratic Party nominee, President Joe Biden.
The family recognizes his role as an environmental advocate, but does not share his absurd positions, spiced with conspiracy theories.
For more than a few observers, this challenge by Kennedy Jr. will go nowhere. Polls show him far behind Biden and Donald Trump.
Some have even called on him to resign in order to avoid what they call “a drain effect” on Biden, because it could take votes away from the Democrat and thus boost the Republican’s victory.
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