Major Trump Donor, Running Mate Write Big Checks for RFK Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s working mate Nicole Shanahan despatched the marketing campaign $8 million in April.
Impartial presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s marketing campaign collected multimillion-dollar checks from each his working mate and a serious supporter of former President Donald Trump in April.
On Might 17 and Might 20, Mr. Kennedy’s principal marketing campaign committee, Group Kennedy, and a hybrid political motion committee supporting his run printed month-to-month disclosure statements with the Federal Election Fee.
The studies confirmed the candidate had entry to greater than $31 million in money available on the finish of April.
Shanahan, Mellon Chip in Once more
Nicole Shanahan, Mr. Kennedy’s working mate, despatched Group Kennedy $8 million on April 1 as a “candidate for vp contribution.” The present adopted up on a $2 million contribution Ms. Shanahan despatched after Mr. Kennedy introduced her as his working mate.
Ms. Shanahan—a lawyer, entrepreneur, and investor—was previously married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin.
The present was the most important single contribution to Group Kennedy in April.
The committee introduced in about $10.7 million in April. Throughout the identical interval, it spent about $6.5 million. It owed about $1.2 million in money owed on the finish of April, in accordance with the FEC.
The money infusion, in accordance with a Might 16 launch from Group Kennedy, gave the marketing campaign all the cash it wanted to get on the poll in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since Mr. Kennedy shouldn’t be connected to a political social gathering, poll entry is the marketing campaign’s largest present concern.
In 2023, Mr. Mellon despatched American Values $15 million and MAGA Inc. $10 million.
In keeping with watchdog group OpenSecrets, Mr. Mellon is the third-largest particular person donor of the 2024 election cycle. He’s given about $50 million for the reason that starting of 2023.
Democrats shortly famous the Republican connection. The social gathering interprets the donations as an indication Mr. Kennedy’s unbiased run solely serves as a foil to President Joe Biden’s reelection efforts. Nonetheless, it stays unknown whether or not Mr. Kennedy will pull extra voters from President Biden’s or President Trump’s tally.
American Values additionally pulled in a $1 million donation from Tower Analysis Capital LLC Chairman Mark Gorton. In keeping with donor data maintained by OpenSecrets, Mr. Gorton beforehand gave $495,000 to American Values, when it was often known as Folks’s Pharma Motion, in 2022.
Mr. Gorton, in accordance with OpenSecrets data, beforehand was a restricted supporter of Democratic Get together candidates.
With these vital donations, American Values collected about $6.2 million in April. The PAC spent about $2.9 million. It closed out the month with about $20.9 million in money available.
Poll Entry, On-line Advertisements
With the final election inching nearer, Mr. Kennedy is simply on the poll within the seven states of Utah, Michigan, California, Delaware, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Texas. Nonetheless, the marketing campaign has collected sufficient signatures to seem on the poll within the eight extra states of New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio, and New Jersey.
The most important payments of the month have been paid to Accelevate 2020 LLC. Accelevate, in accordance with its web site, is a Dripping Springs, Texas, consultancy specializing in poll entry, petition consulting, and different marketing campaign providers.
All advised, Group Kennedy paid Accelevate about $1.9 million in April.
Additionally in April, American Values paid numerous corporations about $258,000 for poll entry providers. Along with Accelevate, Group Kennedy paid about $74,000.
Moreover, it spent $100,000 with Alphabet Inc.’s Google.
The Kennedy marketing campaign has stated it hopes to capitalize on its enchantment to youthful and nontraditional voters so as to win the White Home.