Rep. Ro Khanna calls on RFK Jr.'s running mate to step down

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California called connected Nicole Shanahan, nan moving mate of statesmanlike campaigner Robert F. Kennedy, to measurement down, informing that supporting Kennedy could pave nan measurement for erstwhile President Donald Trump to triumph nan election. 

He made his transportation to her successful a missive he shared pinch CBS News, though he hadn't yet sent it to Shanahan. 

"Even Trump himself, and different members of his team, person admitted that a RFK Jr. summons will thief his reelection," Khanna wrote successful his letter.

"While you whitethorn person adjacent disagreements connected nan Democratic Party's platform, it is clear that a 2nd word for Trump would beryllium disastrous for ambiance and undo nan activity of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, nan astir important action Congress has taken connected cleanable power and ambiance alteration successful our nation's history," Khanna went on. 

When reached by CBS News, Shanahan opted to station her consequence to nan missive connected societal media, making it clear she had small patience for Khanna's latest thoughts connected nan Kennedy campaign. 

"In my speech pinch Ro he congratulated maine connected nan position and encouraged maine to run, stating that each American has nan correct to tally successful this country," Shanahan wrote connected X. "He stated that we unrecorded successful a democracy, and it was incorrect for anyone to frighten maine against running."

"Clearly, Ro has changed his stance based connected unit from nan party," she continued. "I dream he understands really anti-democratic it is to inquire personification to measurement down from a title that empowers nan American nationalist to make their ain decisions." 

She expressed disappointment that he had not called her privately, and said his actions were "performative."

"He has my nonstop line," she wrote. 

Shanahan said her station was her "full consequence to CBS" and she was penning it to show "I americium beholden to you nan group and not nan firm press."

Khanna, a surrogate for President Biden's reelection campaign, wrote successful his missive to Shanahan that recent polling suggests that successful plaything states, Kennedy could tilt nan November predetermination successful Trump's favor, and he advised her to see nan imaginable effect of different Trump presidency connected nan environment, which was an rumor Shanahan highlighted successful her determination to subordinate nan Kennedy campaign. 

Shanahan called herself a "disillusioned Democrat" precocious past period during nan revelation that she would beryllium Kennedy's moving mate, telling voters astatine nan Oakland, California, arena that she had contacted respective governmental figures to talk biology policy, but "none of them return immoderate action." This, she said, prompted her to subordinate Kennedy's ticket.

February financial run filings show that Shanahan, a able California-based attorney, had already donated $4 cardinal to support nan Kennedy campaign, which helped money a Super Bowl ad for nan independent longshot. 

Shanahan has besides donated important costs to Khanna, much than $17,000, his agency said, pinch nan astir caller aid coming past year. According to Khanna, their shared belief successful protecting nan situation led to their introduction, and they person known each different for years.

Democrats harbor immoderate concerns astir Mr. Biden's expertise to conclusion Trump successful battleground states wherever nan separator of triumph successful 2020 was very small. Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Michigan were each states that Mr. Biden won by nether 50,000 votes. 

Some Democratic groups person been trying to extremity third-party candidates from mounting bids against nan president. Democratic groups MoveOn and Third Way announced past week that they planned to displacement their attraction to weakening Kennedy aft nan group No Labels announced it would nary longer prosecute a competing Unity ticket. 

"Nicole, of course, I want to beryllium clear, I respect immoderate person's correct to run," Khanna told CBS News by telephone Tuesday. "I respect her. I wholly respect 3rd parties and aggregate parties, but I was conscionable making nan lawsuit from a position of persuasion." 

"I surely don't want to opportunity thing that is antagonistic astir her personally, but I would dream she would spot nan worth of joining nan broader Democratic coalition," he added. 

After trying to dissuade Shanahan to subordinate Kennedy's run privately, Khanna's agency said it decided to publicize nan missive to push her to reconsider.

"Rep. Khanna decided to make this missive nationalist and alert property to thief bring attraction to nan dangers that RFK's run poses," said Marie Baldassarre, a spokeswoman for Khanna. "He besides reached retired to Nicole privately antecedently to impulse her to reconsider and subordinate nan Biden coalition." 

In:
• RFK Jr.