Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate has donated tens of thousands to Democratic politicians and groups since 2013, campaign finance data shows.Kennedy announced on Tuesday during an event in Oakland, California, that 38-year-old lawyer Nicole Shanahan, who is the ex wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, will be his vice president if elected. Shanahan contributed sizable donations to President Joe Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) last cycle, as well as various other left-wing candidates and causes, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.Shanahan donated a combined $30,600 to Biden’s campaign and joint fundraising committee in June 2020, FEC data shows. She also reported giving $19,400 to the DNC on the same day.
The lawyer contributed $2,800 to then-Democratic primary candidate Marianne Williamson in 2019, as well as $2,800 to Pete Buttigieg’s affiliated PAC, Win the Era, according to FEC filings.In 2016, Shanahan gave a total of $8,100 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and joint fundraising committee, FEC data shows.Since 2019, the lawyer has donated a combined $17,800 to California Rep. Ro Khanna, according to FEC filings. Shanahan contributed thousands more to Democratic House candidates Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Sharice Davids of Kansas, Lauren Underwood of Illinois, Sean Casten of Illinois, Cindy Axne of Iowa, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera of New York, Kathleen Williams of Montana, Richard Ojeda of West Virginia, Dana Balter of New York, Jared Golden of Maine and Dan Feehan of Minnesota.Shanahan also gave a $250 donation to the pro-abortion group EMILYs List in 2013, FEC data shows.
During the running mate announcement event, Shanahan described why she had been a part of the Democratic Party previously.“So these are two of my political convictions I hold today — to serve peace and to help those in poverty,” said Shanahan. “So you can understand why I gravitated to the Democratic Party, because that was supposed to be the party of peace, the party of compassion. Many Democrats, we still believe in those ideals. But unfortunately as an institution, it has lost its way. There is only one anti-war candidate today, and you won’t find him in the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. He is an independent, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
Shanahan had also maxed out in donations to Kennedy’s campaign in May 2023 when he was running for the Democratic nomination, according to FEC filings. The lawyer also helped fund the Super Bowl ad by Kennedy’s aligned super PAC, American Values 2024.
Kennedy initially launched his 2024 campaign as a Democrat in April 2023, but switched to an independent in October after criticizing the DNC for its efforts to elevate Biden as the nominee. The DNC has recently ramped up attacks on his candidacy and other third-party contenders over what it views to be threats to Biden’s reelection chances against former President Donald Trump.
Polling currently indicates that Trump’s lead over Biden grows slightly in national and swing-state polls when Kennedy is on the ballot, according to the RealClearPolitics averages.
The Kennedy-Shanahan campaign did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
