RFK Jr.'s Choice of Aaron Rodgers or Jesse Ventura as VP Met With Derision

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate picks are being met with mockery on social media.

RFK Jr. told The New York Times on Tuesday that New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former professional wrestler and Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura were his top choices for vice president. The newspaper reported that both potential candidates were open to running.

Rodgers has in recent years been outspoken in supporting COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theories. Kennedy, the son of former Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, has arguably become as well known for his anti-vaccine stance as his illustrious family name over the past two decades.

Ventura, famous for his wrestling career and success as an independent politician, also has a history of promoting conspiracy theories. Kennedy was ridiculed for the potential VP picks on Tuesday by several observers on X, formerly Twitter.

"Do we need further proof Kennedy is not a serious candidate for President?" posted @coachdavidgreen. "Aaron Rodgers????? Jesse Ventura??? Are we going to get serious about running this country or just devolve completely into Idiocracy?"

"RFK is not a serious candidate. Also not a real Kennedy. Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura Top R.F.K. Jr.'s List for Running Mate," @Gopic posted. "Who hired this clown?"

"Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura top Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate list," posted @SVecrumba. "If RFK Jr weren't already a joke, this seals it. Jimmy Kimmel should have a blast with this."

"What is he thinking? He could really mutilate the election ... and for what?" @BeachPretzel2 posted. "Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura Top RFK Jr.'s List for Running Mate: Kennedy said he had been speaking with the Jets quarterback 'pretty continuously' for the past month."

"Wait ... Aaron Rodgers? Is this real?" wrote @CaulfieldTim. "If you had any doubts about the degree to which RFK Jr is an off-the-rails, harmful, misinformation monger (and why would you?), this should put those doubts to bed. Aaron Rodgers as RFK Jr Running Mate?"

Newsweek reached out for comment to the Kennedy campaign via email on Tuesday night.

Others who weighed in on the news were less dismissive of Kennedy's picks.

"RFK Jr. confirms Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura top his VP shortlist," @Holden_Culotta posted. "NYT also reports that Kennedy has spoken with Tulsi Gabbard, Andrew Yang, and Rand Paul, but that they declined to join the ticket. Interestingly, the domain name 'KennedyRodgers'.com was registered last week."

"Ventura is a good pick if my dream choices (Tulsi, Massie, Rand Paul) aren't realistic, which it seems like they aren't," posted @tradermark0609. "I fear that a Rodgers choice (or even considering him) would make people think this isn't a serious campaign. And so many people hate Rodgers, sadly."

Kennedy made a request for Secret Service protection earlier this month, due to a man purportedly claiming that he intends to kill him on the coming anniversary of his father's assassination. Robert F. Kennedy Sr., a liberal icon, was shot by 24-year-old Palestinian assassin Sirhan Sirhan on June 5, 1968, while campaigning for president in California. He was pronounced dead the following day.

Polling indicates that Kennedy has an uphill battle if he hopes to actually win the November election. An average of recent surveys compiled by RealClearPolling shows that the independent candidate is the choice of around 6 percent of voters, far behind both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.