Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed Wednesday that his vice presidential pick has been selected and the individual has accepted the job.
ABC News reported that Kennedy had made a decision – and informed the person of his intentions – after The New York Times said Tuesday that the 2024 hopeful had approached both NFL star Aaron Rodgers and ex-wrestler and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura.
Ventura’s son told ABC Wednesday that ‘there has been no formal offer from the Robert Kennedy camp.’ ‘The Governor does not comment on political speculation,’ Ventura’s son added.
That leaves the door open for a potential Kennedy-Rodgers ticket, though Rodgers hasn’t commented on the news, and appears to be in Costa Rica on a Ayahuasca retreat, according to an online news site that tracks NFL news.
Kennedy’s campaign said the announcement will be made on Tuesday, March 26 in Oakland, California.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (right) said he’s chosen his vice presidential pick and the individual agreed to it, leaving the door open to it being New York Jets player Aaron Rodgers (left), who like Kennedy is a vaccine skeptic
Rodgers, 40, was born in Chico, California and spent portions of his youth in Ukiah, California, Beaverton, Oregon and back in Chico.
He continues to play in the NFL and is supposed to start for the New York Jets come fall. He previously played for the Green Bay Packers.
Like Kennedy, Rodgers is a prominent vaccine skeptic.
Rodgers had been engaged to actress Shailene Woodley, a prominent supporter of progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders when he ran for president in 2016 and again in 2020.
They broke off their engagement in 2022.
Unlike former President Donald Trump, who can take his time announcing a vice presidential pick, for Kennedy to appear on the general election ballot in some states as an independent, he’ll have to name a running mate in the next few weeks.
The choice of Rodgers would be unconventional – like Kennedy’s run to begin with – and could add some star power to the scion’s independent campaign.
Rodgers (left) poses for a picture with Kennedy (right) last March, shortly before Kennedy announced he would run for president as a Democrat. In October he changed tact and announced he would run as an independent in the 2024 general election
Rodgers is expected to be playing for the New York Jets this fall, which would interfere with campaign season. The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5
However, picking the NFL star could show voters that Kennedy is unserious about winning.
Democrats have already blasted Kennedy for his presidential run – including members of the candidate’s famous family.
Kennedy started his campaign last year as a Democrat and then announced in October he’d run as an independent instead – meaning he wouldn’t have to compete against President Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries to appear on the general election ballot.
Instead his campaign would have to try and get his name on the ballot in every single state, a feat that has kept most aspiring presidential candidates away from running third-party.
So far the campaign has only been successful at adding Kennedy’s name to the ballot in Utah, but claims volunteers have gathered enough signatures for him to appear on ballots in Hawaii, Nevada and New Hampshire as well, ABC reported.
While Hawaii is a solidly Democratic state, Nevada and New Hampshire are considered battlegrounds.
A Kennedy-backing super PAC has helped him gain ballot access in Arizona, Georgia and Michigan – all pivotal swing states – but the Democratic National Committee has challenged those moves with the Federal Election Commission, blasting the PAC for an ‘illegal ballot access scheme.’
Kennedy has also flirted with the Libertarian Party, which has a permanent spot on the ballot.
The Libertarians will pick their 2024 presidential ticket at a convention later this spring.
Democrats fear that Kennedy will play spoiler for Biden, allowing Trump his second term.
Polling shows that Kennedy picks off voters from both parties’ candidates – though would likely do more harm to Biden than Trump, in part because Biden is trailing the former president in a number of surveys.