Former RFK Jr. running mate threatens to primary senators who vote against nomination

Nicole Shanahan, the former running mate to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., threatened to primary senators if they dared to vote against Kennedy's nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“He is more than qualified. He’s proven, principled, and prepared to lead. I’ll share a list below of key senators. If they represent your state, they need to hear from you," Shanahan said Tuesday in a video posted to her social platform X account.

"If they don’t, please call your own senator and ask them to vote yes,” the billionaire philanthropist added.

Shanahan, the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, said that in 2020 she cut two “large checks” to Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that helped Democrats flip two seats in Georgia.

“The two candidates I helped elect, Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff, please know I will be watching your votes very closely,” she said. “I will make it my personal mission that you lose your seats in the Senate if you vote against the future health of America’s children.”

President Trump nominated Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, to lead HHS despite criticism from both sides of the aisle over his anti-vaccine rhetoric and previous abortion stance.

Prior to joining forces with the president, Kennedy ran a long-shot independent bid for the White House. He selected Shanahan, a tech attorney, as his running mate in late March last year. In August 2024, Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.

Shanahan, who has remained a fierce supporter of Kennedy, also called out some senators by name.

“And more than that, I also want to say to Senators Mitch McConnell [R-Ky.], Lindsey Graham [R-S.C.], Lisa [Murkowski] [R-Alaska], Susan Collins [R-Maine], Bill Cassidy [R-La.], Thom Tillis [R-N.C.], James Lankford [R-Okla.], Cory Booker [D-N.J.], John Fetterman [D-Pa.], Bernie Sanders [I-Vt.] and Catherine Cortez Masto [D-Nev.], this is a bipartisan message and it comes directly from me,” Shanahan said in the video.

"While Bobby may be willing to play nice, I won't if you vote against him, I will personally fund challengers to primary you in your next election, and I will enlist hundreds of that 1000s to join me," she added.

In an interview late last year, Sanders, a prominent progressive in the Senate, said he will likely not run again once his current term ends in 2030.

Kennedy’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee is slated for Wednesday morning. He will also face questioning from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee on Thursday.

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