Richard Grayson: I am on the presidential preference ballot due to a staff mixup

I am actually running (unopposed, currently) for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona’s Sixth District, where no Democrat has run since 2002. (See my blog, Grayson for Congress AZ-06.)

My campaign is basically DIY and my only staff consists of inexperienced hipster interns. Due to a staff mixup by one of them who at the time was listening to Rilo Kiley on his iPod, IM’ing his girlfriend, and watching QuarterLife on YouTube, he accidentally got me on the presidential preference primary. Let my run for President be a warning to those who think multitasking at a vegan restaurant enhances productivity and efficiency.

I also ran for Congress in Florida’s Fourth Congressional District in 2004. You can see my diary from that campaign here at McSweeney’s.

I already have run for President — twenty-four years ago, in the 1984 election. You can read the coverage of my campaign in the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, People and other media at the blog I had back in 1983-84.

However I got on the February 5 ballot, it’s done now, so I suppose I will have to run for President again. Too bad Al Gore doesn’t have a staff as incompetent as I do.

I think I am up to the challenge of Project White House.

I advise anyone thinking of voting for me on February 5 to seek professional help immediately.