Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will not have a long-shot opportunity at becoming the next vice president after all.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had approached Rodgers about serving as his running mate and said he was near the top of his short list of names.
But on Tuesday, Kennedy announced that he chose lawyer and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan to be his running mate, capping off speculation that Kennedy could choose Rodgers.
Kennedy made the announcement in Oakland, which is Shanahan’s hometown. Rodgers is from Chico, California — over 150 miles away.
Kennedy had also talked with former wrestler-turned-one-time-Minnesota Gov. Jesse “The Body” Ventura about the job.
Like Kennedy, Rodgers is a longtime skeptic of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and has already said he plans to vote for Kennedy for president.
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Kennedy, an environmental lawyer who is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, has built a platform based on his opposition to vaccines and his storied family in Democratic politics, raising concerns among Democrats he may draw votes away from President Joe Biden.
Sixteen percent of Wisconsin voters support Kennedy for president, according to a January poll by the Marquette University Law School.
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Supporters with the Wisconsin chapter of People for Kennedy have held events, including a recent meet-and-greet in Wauwatosa. They’re prepared to gather signatures to place Kennedy on the ballot, a process that begins July 1.
In Wisconsin, an independent presidential candidate needs to file between 2,000 and 4,000 signatures with the Wisconsin Elections Commission by 5 p.m. Aug. 6 for ballot access. The nominations must include the names of the candidates for president and vice president.
In addition to filing nomination papers, an independent candidate is required to file a declaration of candidacy with the commission by the same deadline.
