Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images; Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Gold House; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
- RFK Jr. is set to announce Nicole Shanahan, a Silicon Valley lawyer, as his VP pick.
- She's contributed thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates since 2018.
- They include Pete Buttigieg, Marianne Williamson, Ro Khanna, and AOC's 2020 primary challenger.
Democratic-turned-independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to announce Nicole Shanahan as his vice-presidential pick on Tuesday, according to several news reports.
A Silicon Valley lawyer and philanthropist, Shanahan is currently the president of Bia-Echo, a private foundation that funds programs related to women's reproductive longevity, criminal justice reform, and the environment. She married Google co-founder Sergey Brin in 2018, though the couple separated in 2021 and were divorced in 2023.
Shanahan notably helped fund Kennedy's controversial Super Bowl ad, contributing $4 million to the effort.
But before aligning herself with Kennedy, Shanahan had a history of giving thousands of dollars to various Democratic campaigns and causes since 2018, according to federal campaign finance records.
That includes an eclectic mixture of politicians spanning from progressives like Marianne Williamson and Rep. Ro Khanna of California to moderates like Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, and a former TV anchor who ran against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York in the Democratic primary in 2020.
The top federal beneficiary of Shanahan's largesse before this year has been President Joe Biden. In June 2020, she gave $25,000 to the Biden Victory Fund and $19,400 to the Democratic National Committee.
Khanna, whose district encompasses much of Silicon Valley, has received $17,800 from Shanahan since 2019.
A strong supporter of Biden's reelection campaign, the congressman told Business Insider on Tuesday that he'd worked with Shanahan on "regenerative agriculture project" in Iowa, adding that she's "always has been very passionate about climate policy. "
"Our conversations have been focused on bold climate solutions," said Khanna.
In 2019, she reportedly cohosted a fundraiser for Buttigieg's presidential campaign after giving to Williamson five months earlier, contributing $2,800 apiece to each candidate's political operation.
Several months later, she contributed $5,600 to Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, a former Republican who challenged Ocasio-Cortez from the right in 2020, only to be roundly defeated during the primary.
Here are all of the federal Democratic candidates and groups who have received money from Shanahan since 2018:
Biden Victory Fund - $25,000
Democratic National Committee - $19,400
Rep. Ro Khanna of California - $17,800
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - $6,600
Michelle Caruso-Cabrera - $5,600
Biden for President - $5,600
Win The Era PAC (Buttigieg's leadership PAC) - $2,800
Marianne Williamson - $2,800
Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia - $2,700
Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas - $2,700
2018 Montana Democratic House candidate Kathleen Williams - $2,700