Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Silicon Valley attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential running mate during a campaign rally in Oakland, California on Tuesday. Shanahan, a 38-year-old first-time candidate, is relatively unknown outside of tech circles but has been an early supporter of Kennedy’s presidential bid.
Shanahan’s youthful energy and her understanding of the tech world’s anti-establishment rhetoric are expected to broaden and energize Kennedy’s support base. Despite being more cautious in her statements about vaccines compared to Kennedy, a known skeptic, she has consistently questioned their safety. As a wealthy investor, Shanahan could also provide a financial boost to Kennedy’s campaign, which aims to secure a spot on the presidential ballot in all 50 states.
Shanahan’s Background
Born and raised in Oakland, Shanahan grew up in a family that relied on welfare and struggled to make ends meet. Her father was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and her mother immigrated to the US from China. “I had a very hard childhood with a lot of sadness, fear, and instability,” Shanahan told People magazine. “At times there was violence.”
Shanahan, who was previously married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, donated $4 million to a pro-Kennedy super PAC to fund an ad that ran during this year’s Super Bowl. The ad, which she helped produce, repurposed video from the 1960 presidential campaign of Kennedy’s uncle, John F. Kennedy, and drew criticism from several Kennedy family members.
Political Contributions
Prior to aligning with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Shanahan contributed to Democratic campaigns. She donated $25,000 to President Joe Biden’s joint fundraising committee in 2020, according to federal campaign finance records, and identified herself as “a lifelong Democrat” in an interview with Newsweek earlier this year.
Views on Vaccines
Shanahan supports Kennedy, 70, in part for his environmental advocacy and his stance on vaccines and children’s health. “I do wonder about vaccine injuries,” she told The Times. While emphasizing that she is “not an anti-vaxxer,” Shanahan believes there should be a space for discussions about vaccine safety.
Shanahan received a Moderna Covid-19 vaccine and a booster, and her daughter with Brin, Echo, has received all her regularly scheduled vaccines. However, she told Newsweek that she experienced “significant health issues” since receiving her Covid vaccine and would like to know if they’re related.
Philanthropic Efforts
Shanahan is the founder and president of Bia-Echo Foundation, which focuses on “reproductive longevity & equality, criminal justice reform and a healthy and livable planet,” according to the organization’s website. Part of the group’s work is dedicated to finding a cure for autism, a condition her daughter has been diagnosed with.
Personal Life
Shanahan and Brin divorced last year. In 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that Shanahan had an affair with Elon Musk, leading to her separation from Brin. Both Shanahan and Musk denied the affair. Shanahan expressed in an essay published in People last year that the Wall Street Journal story had negatively impacted her career and personal life.
Shanahan holds a degree in Asian studies, economics, and Mandarin Chinese from the University of Puget Sound in Washington state, and a law degree from Santa Clara University in the Bay Area. She is a CodeX fellow at Stanford Law School’s Center for Legal Informatics.