Noted anti-vaxxer RFK Jr, following an unsuccessful attempt to secure the Democratic Party nomination, has launched a third-party bid. His campaign has focused on an interesting demographic – those who trust the science on global warming but reject the science regarding vaccines causing autism. Despite the controversial nature of his candidacy, his campaign has seen some success with RFK Jr currently polling at around 10 percent (The Hill).
In the wake of the immediate dismissal of quarterback Aaron Rodgers as a potential running mate following the exposure of Rodgers’ problematic past comments about the Sandy Hook tragedy by CNN, reports surfaced that another individual has risen in the ranks. This individual is none other than Nicole Shanahan, a California lawyer, and founder of the legal tech startup ClearAccessIP. Shanahan’s name became associated with the campaign following her involvement in the production of RFK Jr’s successful Super Bowl ad (The New York Times).
In a twist of a defamation saga dating back to 2022 that involved Shanahan, Elon Musk, and the Wall Street Journal, Shanahan denied allegations of an affair with Musk, following which her lawyer deemed the rumors defamatory. The saga went on to question whether the insinuation of having sex with Elon Musk might be defamatory per se (Above the Law).
RFK Jr’s campaign manager issued what politicians refer to as a non-denial denial on the matter. She praised Shanahan’s work but also shed light on the merits of other names linked to the campaign including Rodgers, civil rights attorney Tricia Lindsay, known for anti-COVID mandate stances, and Mike Rowe, an opera singer representing blue-collar workers (Amaryllis Fox, Twitter). Despite these speculations, the campaign will only formally announce its choice on the 26th.
Will the campaign stick to the names already in contention or is there another surprise waiting in the shadows? Given the unconventional nature of this campaign, it is hard to predict.