US election race: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chose NFL star and actor as his vice presidential candidates
Kyiv • UNN
Independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. is considering Aaron Rodgers or Jesse Ventura as possible vice presidential candidates.
Independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. is considering American soccer defender Aaron Rodgers or former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura as his running mate, writes UNN citing the BBC.
Details
They are on a short list of potential candidates, among others, Kennedy's campaign office said Tuesday.
Election officials did not indicate who else is on the list.
70-year-old Kennedy filed for the presidency last year.
He had previously considered challenging U.S. President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party nomination, and now as an independent candidate faces a fight to get his name on the ballot in most or all 50 U.S. states.
Kennedy, a member of America's most prominent political family, worked as an environmental lawyer before founding the anti-vaccination pressure group, the publication notes.
Rodgers, a star defensive back who currently plays for the New York Jets, was injured early in his first game last season, but has vowed to return to action in 2024. Off the field, he has been criticized for voicing skepticism about vaccines and making a number of controversial statements.
Kennedy recently posted a photo of the two of them walking together.
It's unclear how the quarterback will be able to combine a vice presidential campaign with a grueling NFL season that will overlap with the November election.
Ventura, a former professional wrestler and actor, was elected governor of Minnesota as a member of the Reform Party, surprisingly defeating both Democratic and Republican candidates in 1998. He served one four-year term and, after leaving office, regularly hinted at a return to political combat. From 2017, he hosted a show on the Kremlin-owned RT America channel until the station ceased operations after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the publication wrote.
Last month, he appeared at a campaign event with Kennedy in Arizona.
Supplement
Ballot access rules for independent presidential candidates vary widely from state to state, with most requiring candidates to collect signatures before the summer deadline.
In a number of states, independent candidates must select a vice presidential candidate before filing.
Kennedy's campaign office says he has qualified in four states so far - Utah, Nevada, New Hampshire and Hawaii.
American Values 2024, a political action committee that supports Kennedy and funded his Super Bowl ads, says it has collected enough signatures to put his name on the ballot in Arizona and Georgia.