Aaron Rodgers, Jesse Ventura contenders for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate: report
FILE - Side-by-side image of Jesse Ventura (left) and Aaron Rodgers (right). (Getty Images)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been in talks with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura about serving as his 2024 running mate, according to a New York Times report.
It was not revealed whether or not either has been formally offered the job, NYT reported.
Kennedy, 70, told NYT that he had been speaking with Rodgers "pretty continuously" for the past month, as well as being in touch with Ventura since the former governor introduced him at a campaign event in Arizona in February.
He is expected to announce his running mate in the coming weeks, according to NYT.
FILE - Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., participates in, "The Present State of Black America," panel discussion for the start of Black History Month at Artlounge Collective in Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 2024. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A scion of one of the nation’s most famous Democratic dynasties, the longtime environmental lawyer veered from the party last fall and announced his independent bid for the White House.
He is a son of former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and a nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy.
The candidate rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for his embrace of public health conspiracy theories and has a loyal following of people who reject the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective.
His success at gaining ballot access in Utah in January reignited questions of whether the independent could play spoiler for the eventual Democratic and Republican nominees. While it’s unlikely that an independent or a third-party candidate would win the presidency, they could siphon support from the major candidates in a way that tips the scales.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.