Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering an NFL star and a former WWE wrestler as his possible running mates for the 2024 elections, which will take place in November.
In statements to The New York Times, Kennedy Jr. said that Aaron Rodgers, a historic 40-year-old quarterback under contract with the New York Jets, and Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota and a former wrestler, are among his list of potential vice presidents.
Kennedy Jr. stated that these two are some of the favorites on a short list of potential running mates.
According to the NYT, the independent candidate had considered former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), and Andrew Yang, 2020 presidential candidate and New York mayoral candidate in 2021, as potential running mates. But all of them seem to have rejected the proposal.
However, both Rodgers and Ventura are apparently interested in joining Kennedy Jr.'s campaign. Although the campaign has little chance of reaching the White House, it could prove decisive in key states and tip the election for one of the primary candidates, either Biden or Trump.
Rodgers, who was traded to the Jets after 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, is recovering from a severe Achilles tendon injury that kept him off the field all of last season.
Despite his injury, the QB has one year left on his two-year contract with the Jets, which guarantees him $75 million.
According to the New York Post, it is unclear whether or not a potential vice presidential run would affect his commitments to the Jets.
Rodgers and Kennedy Jr. share several ideologies, such as their criticism of COVID-19 vaccines.
Ventura, meanwhile, has much more political experience than Rodgers. In 1998, the former WWE wrestler surprised the entire country by emerging victorious in the Minnesota gubernatorial elections for the Reform Party, a political group he later abandoned and joined the Minnesota Independence Party.
However, Ventura did not compete for a second term, announcing his withdrawal from the campaign to care for his wife, who had health problems.
For now, Kennedy Jr., who is third in the polls, is facing the challenge of registering in most of the decisive states. His campaign claims that he has already achieved registration in Hawaii, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Utah and is now aiming at Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and North Carolina, all decisive states for the 2024 elections.
A recent poll by The Hill shows that Kennedy Jr. has 11% voter support.
According to most polls with the independent on the ballot, former President Trump is favored over Biden. In most of the results, the Republican has an advantage that ranges between 3 and 6 percentage points over the Democratic president.
