It’s been over a month since RFK Jr. announced Nichole Shanahan, a rich Silicon Valley personality with zero previous political experience, would serve as his running mate. Since then, voters and reporters have both had the same question: “Where the hell is Nichole Shanahan?”
Since her announcement, Shanahan was exposed as an anti-IVF advocate who called the procedure “one of the biggest lies being told about women’s health.” She then engaged in a public fight with sitting Congressman Ro Khanna after he cautioned the RFK Jr. candidacy would spoil the election for Trump and encouraged her not to run on the ticket. In response, Shanahan claimed without proof that the congressman encouraged her to run and that his suggestion was “undemocratic.”
In the weeks since joining the ticket, Shanahan has injected $2 million into the campaign but is yet to make an in-person appearance with RFK Jr.
Here’s what they’re saying about Shanahan’s absence:
Washington Post: Where is Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.’s VP pick? Online but not on the campaign trail
“[…] a review of social media activity, event announcements and news articles found a relatively light schedule for Shanahan compared with other vice-presidential candidates in the weeks after they joined a campaign. The Kennedy campaign did not respond to requests for comment about Shanahan’s campaign plans or events she has already participated in, nor did it respond to questions about how Shanahan is contributing to its ballot access push. The tactic to largely avoid the press has been seen as atypical among political strategists, and some have theorized Shanahan’s main contribution to the campaign could be her ability to self-fund the costly ballot access effort.”
NBC: Nicole Shanahan pumps $2 million into RFK Jr. campaign after joining ticket
“Shanahan has not appeared publicly with Kennedy or done a live interview since she left the stage in late March, though she has been posting on social media about visiting places like the southern border in Yuma, Arizona.”
ABC: Month after announcement, RFK Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, remains in the shadows
“Still, she has not appeared at any of the public, in-person, open-press campaign events, appearing instead on several podcasts discussing issues such as coronavirus lockdowns, free speech, fertility and the body’s healing. […] Nevertheless, one of Shanahan’s first acts as a candidate appears to have been to pump $2 million into the campaign, according to its latest financial filing. Her donation was dated one day after the announcement that she would be Kennedy’s running mate.”
Politico: RFK Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, is keeping his campaign in the black
“While Kennedy has hosted several fundraisers and two campaign rallies since naming her his running mate in March, Shanahan’s contributions to the campaign so far have overwhelmingly been financial. The wealthy Silicon Valley tech attorney and entrepreneur has mostly been ‘getting a grasp on the policies Bobby’s involved in,’ said communication director Del Bigtree.”
NBC: Nicole Shanahan has been quiet since being named RFK Jr.’s running mate
“Staying in the background is not typical for a newly announced vice presidential nominee. But Kennedy’s independent effort is not typical in many ways, including choosing a running mate with little pre-existing public profile. Marc Short, the then-senior adviser to Mike Pence’s 2016 vice presidential campaign, said Kennedy’s campaign should best utilize her personal strengths, namely fundraising, and focus on campaigning in the states where the campaign has already gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. ‘She hasn’t held elected office and she’s not a known name,’ Short said, noting she’s not like usual vice presidential picks. ‘She comes from a part of the country that could certainly help with fundraising — even if you’re not doing media or events, there’s plenty of ways to help. The campaign has to look at her strengths and maximize those.’”
Published: May 6, 2024 | Last Modified: May 8, 2024