Tipsheet

These Are the People RFK Jr. Reached Out to Be His Running Mate

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  March 13, 2024 6:30 AM

With over a dozen states potentially putting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name on the ballot as a third-party candidate, the son of the late attorney general, known for his controversial views, must find a running mate if he wants to make his 2024 run legit or have the appearance of legitimacy and not some gimmick. Often, that’s what these third-party runs turn out to be. 

Whether or not Kennedy’s ballot access petitions will be granted is another story, but you need to look the part. In rounding out the ticket, Kennedy’s alleged picks for running mate are interesting, not that it will get the respect of the national media, who view his candidacy as a potential threat in siphoning off support from Joe Biden. Mr. Kennedy reportedly made overtures to Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura (via NYT):

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has recently approached the N.F.L. quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura about serving as his running mate on an independent presidential ticket, and both have welcomed the overtures, two people familiar with the discussions said. 

Mr. Kennedy confirmed on Tuesday that the two men were at the top of his list. It is not clear if either has been formally offered the post, however, and Mr. Kennedy is still considering a shortlist of potential candidates, the people familiar with the discussions said. 

Mr. Kennedy said that he had been speaking with Mr. Rodgers “pretty continuously” for the past month, and that he had been in touch with Mr. Ventura since the former governor introduced him at a campaign event last month in Arizona. 

A representative for Mr. Rodgers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr. Ventura could not immediately be reached for comment. 

I mean, I like it in this context. Kennedy is running to raise awareness on certain issues. He can do that with Rodgers, but he’s slated to return to the New York Jets for the 2024 season. Ventura might be too out there for middle America, but these two picks show that Mr. Kennedy embraces his independent candidate stripes with gusto. We got to have a little fun since this cycle is about to get nasty.