Additional Coverage:
- Nicole Shanahan says she’ll ‘personally fund’ primary challengers against senators who don’t vote for RFK Jr. (newsbreak.com)
Local billionaire Nicole Shanahan has issued a strong warning to senators regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings for HHS Secretary, which begin Wednesday. Shanahan, a Silicon Valley lawyer and Kennedy’s former running mate, has pledged to fund primary challengers against any senator who votes against him.
In a video message, Shanahan stated she would “personally fund” these challenges and recruit hundreds of thousands to join her effort. She emphasized this as a bipartisan message, adding, “While Bobby may be willing to play nice, I won’t.”
Shanahan previously contributed significantly to Kennedy’s presidential campaign, which he ended in August to endorse Donald Trump. Trump subsequently nominated Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Shanahan specifically named 13 senators from both parties whose votes she will be closely monitoring. The list includes prominent figures such as Senators Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Bernie Sanders. Her list seems to target both Republicans seen as less supportive of Kennedy and Democrats considered potentially persuadable.
Some senators, like Sanders, have previously expressed agreement with certain aspects of Kennedy’s health-related views, adding another layer of complexity to the upcoming confirmation hearings.