A Cat Named Hank Is Running For U.S. Senate In Virginia

Hank, a 9-year-old street cat from Springfield, is campaigning against former Virginia governors George Allen and Tim Kaine, hoping to represent Virginia in the United States Senate.

Hank announced his candidacy earlier this month, billing himself as an independent with “real world experience, a unique point of view, and limitless energy.” He is vying for the Senate seat vacated by James Webb this year, who has chosen not to run for reelection.

While not the first feline politician, he is (at least to my knowledge) the first cat to run for a political position in the United States.

According to Hank’s website, his campaign is founded on the issue of job creation. Hank offers these inspiring words: “ In each of us we have the power to improve our own lives, to improve the lives of our neighbors, our state, and our country.”

While some human-supremacists might suggest that voting for Hank is equivalent to throwing your vote away, Republicans have shown an affinity for doing exactly that (or, arguably, worse) in the GOP presidential primary by voting for Rick Santorum. And unlike political rival George Allen, Hank has never made racist remarks or flown the Confederate flag.

I, for one, believe it’s time to embrace true diversity in politics – across not just ethnic and gender boundaries, but species boundaries as well. It’s time the human stranglehold on politics was loosened. We’ve done a terrible job lately, let’s give Hank a chance to make things right. If I was a Virginia resident, I would give Hank my vote.

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