RFK Jr. VP pick donates $2M to campaign

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, donated $2 million to the campaign one day after being chosen as his vice presidential pick in March. 

Shanahan was officially announced as Kennedy’s running mate March 26 at an event in Oakland, Calif. The following day, she infused the independent campaign with a $2 million donation, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings the Kennedy campaign filed Thursday. Puck first reported on her donation. 

Candidates can put unlimited funds into their own campaign under federal law and do not have to adhere to the $6,600 individual limits. 

The Silicon Valley attorney has previously financially backed Kennedy’s bid, donating directly to his campaign’s committee, according to FEC filings, and giving $4 million to help fund the Super Bowl ad authorized by American Values 2024, a super PAC backing Kennedy’s White House run. 

Kennedy’s campaign raised $5.4 million in March, according to FEC filings, including Shanahan’s $2 million. 

The campaign spent around $4.5 million last month and had $1.6 million in debt, payments owed to Gavin de Becker, Kennedy’s security consultant, according to filings. 

The campaign reported having $6 million cash on hand at the start of April, per FEC records.  

Shanahan has not appeared alongside Kennedy at a campaign event yet, but they are slated to hold a virtual event April 22.

On Thursday, the Kennedy campaign announced it qualified to be on the ballot in the battleground state of Michigan, bringing his total to nine states so far. His campaign said he has enough backing to appear in New Hampshire and Nevada, both considered swing states in the 2024 general election.