By Staff
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Photo from Takei’s Twitter account that read, “No, I’m not running for Congress. Happy 4/1!”
George Takei caused a moment of extreme excitement last Saturday morning when he announced that he was planning to run for Congress and against Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) in 2018. Nunes is the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and has dominated headlines recently due to his high-profile role in one of the congressional investigations that have embroiled President Donald Trump’s White House. The Committee is also investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible ties between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign.
The 79-year-old former Star Trek actor posted on Twitter on the morning of April 1, “Well, the cat’s out of the bag it seems. Let’s do this! #Takei2018.” Takei also included a link to an article on The Daily Buzz that explained that he and his husband Brad are moving to a small California town, where he will launch his career. “I think Nunes is vulnerable and I plan to prove that. People are tired of his a— kissing of Trump.” Takei told the website.
But between the eight hours when Takei posted the tweet and when he clarified that he was joking, people started to get extremely excited by the idea that he was running. Actor Mark Ruffalo tweeted, “I hope you can count me as one of your early endorsers!! This is great news!”
Once Takei revealed it was a joke, one Twitter user summed up the sentiments of most fans, “I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed that an April Fool’s joke wasn’t true.”
All joking aside, Takei has run for elected office before. He unsuccessfully ran for Los Angeles City Council in 1973.
He is an outspoken Democrat and a vocal critic of President Trump. Takei has also regularly spoken out about the Russia investigation that Nunes is overseeing.
Takei encouraged fans to support Jon Ossoff, who is running for Congress in a special election in Georgia later this month. Georgia’s 6th Congressional District saw a remarkable shift on election night. Four years ago, voters in this conservative but well-educated area supported Mitt Romney by a wide 61-37 margin. In 2016, however, hostility toward Trump gave the president just a 48-47 win — a stunning 23-point collapse. That dramatic change in attitudes means this seat might just be in play.
Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.