Who Is Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.’s Running Mate?

She indicated that she supports Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine stance, and she bankrolled his Super Bowl ad. She has never held elected office.

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Nicole Shanahan said that she was drawn to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign in part by his efforts to challenge scientific consensus on matters including vaccines.

The independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Nicole Shanahan as his running mate on Tuesday, elevating a little-known philanthropist and political donor to second-in-command on a ticket challenging President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.

Here are three things to know about Ms. Shanahan.

She has signaled her support for Kennedy’s vaccine stance.

Ms. Shanahan told The New York Times in February that she had been drawn to Mr. Kennedy in part for his efforts to challenge scientific consensus on matters including vaccines.

Mr. Kennedy and his organization, Children’s Health Defense, have promoted debunked claims about the risks of vaccinations against measles, polio, tetanus, meningitis, Covid and other diseases.

“I do wonder about vaccine injuries,” Ms. Shanahan said last month, while saying she was “not an anti-vaxxer.” “I think there needs to be a space to have these conversations.”

She also praised Mr. Kennedy’s work as an environmental lawyer, though he has become better known for his anti-vaccine activism and his embrace of political conspiracy theories.

“I do think we have an environmental health crisis in this country,” she said. “I do believe Americans deserve clean water. And we can’t achieve that in the current climate of politics.”

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