Former VP Candidate Embraces Faith In Powerful Baptism
A former vice presidential candidate from the 2024 election, Nicole Shanahan, has recently embraced Christianity after practicing Judaism for over a decade. Shanahan, who ran alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during their independent campaign, shared her baptism story on X on Tuesday, detailing her journey of faith.
Although Kennedy withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, the Kennedy-Shanahan ticket appeared on ballots in several states, garnering over 750,000 votes, or about 0.5% of the national vote. Shanahan’s post, titled “My Baptism Story,” describes a transformative experience in January when she felt a deep, overwhelming presence after comforting her daughter during a night terror.
Shanahan, a 39-year-old patent attorney, tech entrepreneur, and the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, recounted how this powerful moment led her to offer a silent prayer to God. Her spiritual journey began months earlier, following a significant personal loss in September 2024. During this time, Shanahan found support and guidance from a woman named Diane Robinson, whom she met through a mutual acquaintance.
After experiencing a profound feeling of heaviness, Shanahan reached out to Robinson, expressing her desire to be baptized. On Jan. 19, in her backyard in Atherton, California, Robinson and her husband, Peter, baptized Shanahan. She shared a photo of her baptism certificate, which listed the Robinsons as “bishop” and “apostle.”
Shanahan recalled how Robinson guided her through the Bible, providing comfort and wisdom as she came to understand the depth of her faith. Shanahan expressed how the pain of life and its injustices can feel overwhelming, but Robinson assured her that Jesus could offer salvation, cleansing sins, and defeating darkness.
Although Shanahan had always believed in God, she revealed that her understanding of evil and spiritual warfare had shifted. Reflecting on her father’s struggles with addiction and the turmoil in her upbringing, she began to see the reality of spiritual forces at play. Her experience running for office opened her eyes to the extent of the evil present in the world, leading her to reconsider the battle between good and evil.
Shanahan emphasized the existence of spiritual warfare, stating that anyone who has witnessed addiction or trauma understands its reality. She likened her newfound faith in Jesus to being embraced by warmth and security while standing firm against the forces of darkness.
Previously, Shanahan had engaged in spiritual practices such as meditative prayer and converted to Judaism in 2014. However, she now directs her prayers to Jesus, whom she sees as the bridge between humanity and heaven. With the New Testament in hand, Shanahan said she has gained a new perspective on the world’s spiritual suffering, likening it to a veil being lifted.
Shanahan shared a photo of herself and her husband, Jacob, immersed in a pool during their baptism, accompanied by the Robinsons. She encouraged others who are searching for spiritual fulfillment to continue seeking, reassuring them that faith is about trusting in the One who holds the answers.
Her post concluded with a Latin phrase, “Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam,” meaning “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”