(NewsNation) — A new report revealing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vice presidential shortlist offers a crucial window into his thinking, making clear he is after voters from former President Donald Trump’s camp as much or more than President Joe Biden’s.
RFK Jr. has spoken extensively with former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura and current New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers about being his running mate. Both are right-leaning independents who deeply distrust the government, are anti-vaccine and sometimes traffic in conspiracy theories — the kind of voters more likely sitting in Trump’s camp but open to persuasion.
Ventura and Rodgers are said to be interested. Speculation swirls that Rodgers is the favorite after the domain “kennedyrodgers.com” was recently registered. The four-time NFL MVP has, like RFK Jr., been an outspoken COVID-19 vaccine critic and promoted wild conspiracy theories.
The two went on a recent hiking trip together and have spoken “pretty continuously” since, fueling VP run rumors for the legendary quarterback.
While RFK Jr. previously suggested he could take voters from both Trump and Biden, he’s also said he’s more likely to appeal to Trump voters, speculating that Democrats wanted him to run as an independent to siphon votes from Trump.
The mainstream media has largely frozen RFK Jr. out, mentioning him a mere 425 times over the past month compared to over 77,000 for Trump and 66,000 for Biden, coverage disproportionate to polls showing RFK Jr. at 12% compared to Trump’s 41% and Biden’s 38%.
That 12 percent is largely the audience — the Joe Rogan, Pat McAfee, right-leaning anti-vax independent crowd with millions of potential votes — that RFK Jr. seems to be courting with his Rodgers VP flirtation, making clear he wants Trump’s voters most.
A poll of Rogan’s 11 million listeners skewed heavily to the right, with 52% voting for Trump in 2020 versus 21% for Biden, and 23% not voting.
“Both sides have acknowledged he’s running what is a ‘spoiler campaign,'” Republican strategist Rina Shah said of RFK Jr. “While he’s looking for Trump voters, he essentially could tip the scale to Trump.”
However, it’s an “uphill battle” given RFK Jr. is currently only on the ballot in four states. But Shah said a high-profile running mate such as Rodgers could help with ballot access and funding, estimating RFK Jr. needs $1 million to get on all 50 state ballots.
RFK Jr. is facing some pivotal choices as he seeks to gain ballot access across the country amid his independent presidential bid.
He’s already gathered enough signatures to make the ballot in New Hampshire, Utah and Hawaii, and just this week he celebrated adding Nevada — a consequential swing state — to the list. His super PAC also says it has gotten enough support to appear on ballots in Georgia, Arizona and South Carolina.
“Aaron Rodgers is a dangerously good pick because you’re looking at somebody who’s an active footballer. That is just the projection of strength, vitality, definitely the outsider status.,” Shah said. “That is exactly why RFK Jr. is going for Trump’s voters because he knows they have an appetite for that kind of thing.”
NewsNation’s The Hill contributed to this report.
