RFK Jr.’s vanity ratfuck is being mostly funded by Republicans

Here’s one of the least surprising developments of the campaign season:

Mark Dickson, a Californian who amassed a fortune treating aluminum for the aerospace industry, has donated more than $450,000 to federal candidates since 2015. The total includes $400,000 to Trump Victory, the joint fundraising committee that allows individuals to contribute large amounts to support Donald Trump. That money was then distributed to Trump’s presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee, state Republican parties, and others working on behalf of Trump. 

Keith Sheldon, a retired car dealership executive from Argyle, Texas, also has consistently backed Trump. In 2016, Sheldon donated $5,400, then the individual maximum, to Trump’s presidential campaign and affiliated committees. In 2020, Sheldon donated the new individual maximum, $5,600, to Trump’s reelection campaign. In 2022, Sheldon donated $2,900 to one of Trump’s favorites, Senate candidate Herschel Walker (R-GA). Over the years, Sheldon, a registered Republican, donated several thousand dollars to GOP candidates for the House of Representatives. 

According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, neither Dickson nor Sheldon has ever donated a dime to a Democrat. Until now. This year, both donated $6,600 — the current legal maximum — to Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a Democratic candidate for president. 

Dickson and Sheldon’s sudden interest in a Democratic primary candidate is unexpected. But, for Kennedy’s campaign, it is not uncommon. According to a Popular Information analysis of Kennedy’s first FEC filing, the lion’s share of Kennedy’s biggest donors have previously only donated to Republicans. 

Through June 30, Kennedy’s campaign has collected the maximum, $6,600, from 96 individuals. Of that group, 37 individuals have previously only donated to Republican candidates for federal office. Only 19 have a history of consistently supporting Democratic candidates. The remainder either have no giving history (30), have donated to members of both parties (8), or supported Libertarian or alternative candidates (2). 

The good news here is that the more Democratic primary voters find out about the anti-vaxx failson who’s gone tankie, the less they’re going to like him. As someone said in comments the other day, libertarian VC bros like the idea of ratfucking the Democratic primary, but the fact that they want to do it with someone they really like defeats its own purpose.