Democrat politicians from several states were captured on a call blasting the campaign of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. after he named California lawyer and activist Nicole Shanahan as his running mate.
The Hill report said that the Democratic National Committee hosted the call after Kennedy on Tuesday ramped up his independent White House bid by announcing his running mate would be Shanahan, who has already donated $4 million to Kennedy’s campaign.
Democrats are stepping up criticism of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he announced his pick of Nicole Shanahan for vice president, arguing the duo will benefit Donald Trump, including Rep. Robert Garcia, who said he's "offended and disgusted" by his campaign. https://t.co/WjPApRZVoL
— The Hill (@thehill) March 26, 2024
Pro-President Biden figures in the party are criticizing Kennedy as a “spoiler” propelled by Republican funds and conspiracy theories, slamming his presidential campaign shortly after he unveiled his running mate in Oakland, Calif.
“I am personally offended and just disgusted by his campaign,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) said during a call hosted by the Democratic National Committee (DNC). “He should be ashamed of himself. He should stop running for president.”
The Hill said that Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis was on the call and dismissed Kennedy as a spoiler who was drafted into this race by Donald Trump’s top supporters. “He has no realistic path to victory in Pennsylvania,” he added.
The Washington Free Beacon reports that Democrats have targeted Kennedy since he left the Democratic Party and launched his presidential bid as an independent in October, with Democrats increasingly concerned that he would draw crucial votes from Biden in what could be a tight race for president.
“RFK Jr. is a MAGA-backed candidate who is bankrolled by billionaires to help reelect Donald Trump,” a pro-Biden group wrote on a website targeting the independent candidate called rfkjrfacts.com.
The Hill reported on Tuesday that Shanahan is a California-based attorney and entrepreneur and the founder and president of Bia Echo Foundation, a private nonprofit that issues grants for issues including reproductive rights, equality, criminal justice reform, and the environment. Shanahan was also married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin and was a major contributor to the campaigns of Pete Buttigieg, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden.
Kennedy is currently only on the ballot in Utah according to a report last week from Politico. But it said that he has collected enough signatures to also qualify in Nevada, Hawaii, and New Hampshire. A pro-Kennedy super PAC says it has collected enough signatures to get him on the ballot in Arizona, South Carolina, Michigan and Georgia.
