Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California wrote a letter to Nicole Shanahan, the running mate of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, urging her to step down from the campaign. Khanna warned that supporting Kennedy could potentially lead to former President Donald Trump winning the election. He expressed concerns about the impact of another Trump presidency on climate change and the work that President Biden has done in this area. Shanahan responded by posting her thoughts on social media, criticizing Khanna for his stance and calling his actions \”performative.\”
Shanahan defended her decision to run with Kennedy, stating that every American has the right to run for office and that it was anti-democratic for Khanna to ask her to step down. She emphasized that she is accountable to the people, not the corporate press. Khanna, who is a surrogate for President Biden’s reelection campaign, cited polling data suggesting that Kennedy could sway swing states in Trump’s favor. He advised Shanahan to consider the potential consequences of another Trump presidency on the environment, a key issue for Shanahan in joining the Kennedy campaign.
Shanahan described herself as a \”disillusioned Democrat\” and highlighted her frustration with political figures who failed to take action on environmental policy. She had already donated $4 million to support the Kennedy campaign and had also contributed funds to Khanna in the past. Khanna and Shanahan share a belief in protecting the environment, which led to their introduction and friendship over the years. Democrats are concerned about Mr. Biden’s ability to defeat Trump in battleground states where the margin of victory was small in 2020.
Some Democratic groups have been working to stop third-party candidates like Kennedy from mounting bids against President Biden. MoveOn and Third Way announced plans to focus on weakening Kennedy’s campaign after another group, No Labels, decided not to pursue a competing Unity ticket. Khanna clarified that he respects Shanahan’s right to run and third-party candidates but was making the case for persuasion in his letter. He hoped Shanahan would see the value of joining the broader Democratic coalition. Khanna’s office publicized the letter to draw attention to the potential risks of Kennedy’s campaign and had previously reached out to Shanahan privately to urge her to reconsider.
