RFK Jr. super PAC got more than half its funds from GOP mega donor

A super PAC supporting the presidential ambitions of longshot Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reported receiving more than half its nearly $10 million in funds from a single GOP donor.

The donations underscore that while Kennedy enjoys the surname of Democratic royalty, his message is also resonating with Republicans.

The group, American Values 2024, launched the same month Kennedy set out on his own longshot bid against President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary. It officially reported raising $9.8 million through the end of June and said on Monday that it had also raised $6 million in the month of July, bringing its total fundraising to roughly $16 million.

Its first financial report, which covers contributions through the end of June, includes donations from both GOP and Democratic donors. But the donors who have previously backed Republicans accounted for a much greater share of the money raised.

Of the $9.8 million reported, $5 million came from Timothy Mellon, a longtime GOP donor who gave $1.5 million to a Trump-aligned group last fall, according to campaign finance records. In a press release earlier Monday, Mellon touted Kennedy’s bipartisan credentials, calling him “the one Democrat who can win in the general election.”

Most of the rest of the super PAC’s fundraising through the end of June came from Gavin De Becker, an author and consultant who reported giving the group $4.5 million. De Becker has a political donation history that includes both Democrats and Republicans. He has served as a close adviser to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The super PAC also got smaller contributions from a handful of Democratic donors, including Abby Rockefeller, who gave $100,000. But those contributions accounted for only a small share of the super PAC’s total fundraising. The super PAC also reported receiving $50,000 from Cancer Monthly Inc., a publication that touts “alternative” cancer treatments, such as vitamins.

American Values 2024 has reported spending on newspaper advertisements in early primary states, although it is largely holding onto cash so far.

The super PAC’s backing from a major GOP donor will likely further Democratic arguments that Kennedy is not aligned with the party’s goals. The top donors who gave directly to Kennedy’s campaign in the first few months also included dozens of individuals who had previously given money to Trump or DeSantis, according to a POLITICO analysis of campaign finance filings.