New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura top the list of 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s preferred running mates, the Democrat-turned-independent tells ABC News.

       Kennedy said on Tuesday that he had selected his No. 2, as he had been expected to do soon, but he declined to identify them.

       Per his campaign, he plans to announce his choice on March 26 in Oakland, California.

       He initially confirmed his intentions with his running mate, first reported by The New York Times, via text messages with an ABC News reporter.

       He had been set to select his running mate in the coming weeks, his campaign manager previously told ABC News, due mostly to the requirement that he have one to apply for ballot access as an independent in certain states.

       Rodgers hasn't publicly commented.

       Ventura's son told ABC News on Wednesday in a statement that "there has been no formal offer from the Robert Kennedy camp. The Governor does not comment on political speculation."

       Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally at L...Show more ---Show more

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       Kennedy has publicly displayed his relationships with both Rodgers and Ventura: He recently posted a photo on social media of him and Rodgers hiking while Ventura, who was a wrestling star before becoming a politician, appeared at his Arizona rally last month.

       Both men also share Kennedy's affinity for embracing some debunked claims: Rodgers, like Kennedy, has spoken misleadingly about the harmful effects of the COVID-19 vaccines, and Ventura has peddled conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks.

       ABC has reached out to a Rodgers representative for comment.

       Aaron Rodgers looks on during the first half against the Miami Dolphins, Dec. 17, 2023, in Mi...Show more ---Show more

       Getty Images

       Kennedy is not assured the ability of being on the ballot anywhere because he's running outside the auspices of an established party. So volunteers have fanned out across the country and performed the painstaking work of gathering tens of thousands of signatures from everyday citizens.

       So far, Kennedy is only on one state's ballot, Utah, but the campaign claims it has hit the signature threshold in Hawaii, Nevada and New Hampshire.

       A pro-Kennedy super PAC, meanwhile, says it has gathered enough signatures to place him on the ballot in the key swing states of Arizona, Georgia and Michigan, though the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming the efforts amount to coordination with the campaign, which is illegal.

       The political action committee denies the accusation.