Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura at the top of his list to serve as vice president.
Kennedy told the New York Times that he has had discussions with both.
Driving the news: Both Rodgers and Ventura have welcomed the overtures but it is not clear if either has been formally offered the post, according to the New York Times.
- Kennedy has reportedly been in continuous contact with Rodgers for the past month and has also been in touch with Ventura since being introduced by him at a campaign event in Arizona.
- Polls show Kennedy pulling votes away from both President Biden and former President Trump, with Democrats being more concerned about his impact on the election.
What we’re watching: Kennedy is expected to name his running mate in Oakland on March 26 ahead of deadlines in states that require a vice-presidential pick for ballot access.
- Kennedy has also approached other individuals, including Tulsi Gabbard, Rand Paul, and Andrew Yang, but they have all turned him down or their conversations have not advanced.
- The domain name “kennedyrodgers.com” was registered, potentially hinting at Kennedy’s preference.
Go deeper: Rodgers is entering his 20th season in the NFL and second with the Jets after 18 years with the Green Bay Packers, where he was named NFL MVP four times and won Super Bowl XLV.
- His first season with the Jets ended on just the fourth snap of the season as he suffered an achilles injury against the Bills on Monday Night Football.
- Rodgers was active during the COVID-19 pandemic in his home state of California. He launched a small business fund to help 79 locally owned businesses in Butte County to provide support during the pandemic, totalling nearly $1.6 million.
