By JONATHAN J. COOPER (Associated Press)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is talking to potential vice presidential candidates as he gets closer to revealing his running mate for his independent run for president.
Kennedy shared with The New York Times that NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura are his top choices. Stefanie Spear, a campaign spokesperson, confirmed the Times report and mentioned there are other names on Kennedy’s short list.
Kennedy, a member of a prominent political family, is focused on gaining access to the ballot, a costly and time-consuming process that he said will require him to collect more than a million signatures in a state-by-state effort.
Independent candidates in many states need to name a running mate before they can seek access to the ballot. This is driving the early push for Kennedy to make a choice. Major party candidates usually select vice presidential nominees closer to their summer conventions.
Kennedy is a lawyer and environmental activist who has become a leading figure in the movement that disagrees with the scientific agreement on vaccines and is a vocal critic of the public health establishment.
Initially running as a Democrat, he shifted his focus to an independent campaign last year, unsettling supporters of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, who fear he will attract supporters who would otherwise support one of the major party candidates.
Rodgers, the long-serving Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the New York Jets, shares Kennedy’s skepticism of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a regular on anti-establishment podcasts. Ventura, a former professional wrestler, surprised observers when he won the race for Minnesota governor as an independent candidate in 1998.
