In a surprising twist in Michigan's political landscape, a 36-year-old IT contractor, Samuel Smeltzer, who identifies as a "furry" and goes by the moniker "Elyon Badger," has thrown his hat into the ring for the Democratic primary for the state's Seventh Congressional District.
Smeltzer, known for his honey badger persona at political events and furry conventions, is vying for a seat in a district that is considered a toss-up.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, Smeltzer's campaign, while trailing behind frontrunner Bridget Brink, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, has garnered local attention. His unconventional approach, including his "honey badger energy," has been featured in Michigan's Between the Lines LGBT newspaper. However, his campaign is not without controversy.
Smeltzer has been noted for his provocative online posts, including celebrating the assassinations of Charlie Kirk and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
In the aftermath of Kirk's assassination, Smeltzer posted a meme on Bluesky, a social media platform, with the caption, "If guns make us so safe, why am I dead?" He added, "How can we defeat evil, if evil is mourned when it's defeated?" His posts on the day of the assassination included other comments that seemed to support the murder, such as "I for one, celebrate the death of every Nazi" and "Good things can happen."
Smeltzer's controversial stance extended to the assassination of Thompson, where he appeared to laud the alleged gunman, Luigi Mangione. He wrote on Bluesky, "Seeing the public support of the man who took action has actually started to cure my depression."
In 2024, Smeltzer was banned from a social media app, X, for posting, "America deserved 9/11." Despite these controversies, Smeltzer is running a campaign focused on healthcare and taxing the rich. He also aims to advocate for the furry community, which he describes as "the ultimate form of freedom in America."
In an email interview with the Washington Free Beacon, Smeltzer criticized his main opponent, Brink, for being an establishment Democrat who is incapable of "fight[ing] for the working class." He argued that candidates like Brink "can only trudge along and drag this broken cart through the mud, they can't fix it." He asserted that "The party needs Honey Badger energy."
Brink has remained silent on Smeltzer's candidacy and his controversial comments. When the National Republican Congressional Committee called on her to condemn Smeltzer's comments about Kirk's assassination, she did not respond.
Smeltzer's social media activity also includes posts of himself in a fursuit lying down on a pentagram and expressing his disdain for the United States and his admiration for China.
The Democratic primary winner for Michigan's seventh district will face off against the Republican incumbent, Tom Barrett. As the race heats up, it remains to be seen how Smeltzer's unconventional campaign and controversial views will impact the election.
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