Less than 24 hours before RFK Jr.’s Senate confirmation hearing to serve as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration, his former running mate Nicole Shanahan issued an ominous message to Democrats and Republicans alike: Vote for RFK Jr., or face the consequences.
“He is more than qualified. He is proven, principled, and prepared to lead,” Shanahan said in the video message, which she posted on X with the caption: “Dear U.S. Senators, Bobby may play nice. I won’t.” The billionaire philanthropist exhorted RFK’s supporters to call their senators and urge them to vote “yes” on his confirmation, before directly addressing both Democratic and Republican senators and urging them to vote yes or else risk her funding their challengers in the next election.
In her video, Shanahan specifically addressed Georgia Democratic senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, whose Senate campaigns she helped fund in 2020, turning the swing state blue. “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,” she said in the video.
Shanahan also addressed senators Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Cory Booker, and Bernie Sanders, among others, urging them to vote yes. “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 thousands to join me,” she said.
The ex-wife of former Google president and billionaire Sergey Brin, Shanahan was RFK Jr.’s pick for vice-president during his presidential campaign, which he suspended in August of last year before endorsing Trump for president. Trump, in turn, nominated RFK Jr. to head HHS, drawing criticism due to Kennedy’s endorsement of various conspiracy theories, including the debunked belief that certain childhood vaccines are linked to autism.
On Tuesday, RFK Jr.’s cousin Caroline Kennedy publicly condemned him, referring to him as a “predator” and accusing him of “prey[ing] on the desperation of parents of sick children.” RFK Jr. stands before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday morning.