Yes — you read that title correctly.

In one of the craziest stories in a crazy election year a furry feline  from Springfield, Virginia ran for a seat in the US Senate and received the third most number of votes in the race.

His campaign slogan? “It’s OK to vote the humans out.”

Hank the Cat’s campaign began as a joke, but gained support from animal rights activists as November 6th got closer, raising almost $60,000 that will be donated to animal rescue groups. And although Hank received far less votes than former Governor Tim Kaine (D) and Senator George Allen (R), the Virginia Board of Elections has counted approximately 7,319 write-ins for the kitty.

On his campaign website, the cat stated the following:

Hank knows that the key to a better America and a brighter future is the creation of jobs — jobs that will improve a street, a town, a state, and the nation. These time-tested ideas and Hank’s energy and determination make him the best candidate for the job, and have brought millions of Virginians from frustrated voters to energized campaigners.

Seems legitimate, right? Heck, I would have liked what I saw if I was reading this out of a voters guide. 

But, back to reality — this is a campaign to elect a cat to Congress.

His owners, Anthony Roberts and Matthew O’Leary, said they stood outside of polling places for almost twelve hours on election day, waving signs picturing a hopeful-looking Hank with sparkling eyes and shiny fur. They even enlisted some of their friends to do the same in other precincts. 

They are not disappointed with Hank’s loss — both are incredibly pleased with the efforts. In regards to the results, Roberts said,

Regardless of the votes, we still raised $60,000 for animal rescue. There are literally going to be lives that are saved with that. From our personal point of view we got to share our kitty with the entire world, and that’s really great.

So was this some wacky animal rights activism? Or was it a cute campaign? Do you think that Hank for Senate made a mockery out of the democracy for running for Congress? More importantly, are voters mocking the democracy for actually voting for a cat?

Regardless, you can still buy a Hank for Senate t-shirt, coffee mug, tote bag, or bumper sticker if you so desire to support this fluffy candidate’s case for animal rights.