The Peculiar Truth about Animals in US Politics

• American humorist H.L. Mencken wrote, “Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage.” In the spirit of that satirical quote, several animal candidates have been elected to office in the United States over the years, albeit almost exclusively honorary titles. They include:

• Stubbs the Cat. For a twenty year period between July 1997 and July 2017, the ginger-colored Manx house cat was named mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska. The small town of roughly 1,000 rugged middle-aged individuals is located 214 miles north of Anchorage. Residents weren’t interested in any of their mayoral candidates, so they elected the cat that laid about and greeted customers at the town’s general store. The store’s manager found Stubbs and several other kittens abandoned in her parking lot. The cat was only three months old when named Talkeetna’s new mayor, albeit only an honorary title. He became a tourist attraction.

• Bosco the Dog. The black lab and Rottweiler mix was named honorary mayor of the Northern California town of Sunol in 1981. The animal’s election was said to have been a gag. However, two human beings ran for the post and lost to the dog. Bosco served until his death in 1994. A statue in his honor was erected outside the local post office.

• Clay Henry the Goat. Lajitas, Texas is along the Rio Grande west of Big Bend National Park. Fewer than 100 people live there. If you visit, bring a bottle of beer. Not for you to drink. Bring it for Clay Henry the beer-drinking goat. For over 40 years, he and his descendants -  all named Clay Henry and all beer guzzlers - have been named the honorary mayor of the unincorporated community. The current title holder is Clay Henry IV. Like his forebears, he lives in a pen outside the general store.

• Lucy Lou the Border Collie. She served as mayor of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky from 2008 until 2016. The tiny town lies 30 miles southwest of Cincinnati along the Ohio River. Lucy Lou was not the only animal running for the mayor’s job. Her competitor’s included ten other dogs, a donkey, a cat, and an opossum. Her campaign slogan was “The Bitch You Can Count On.” Lucy Lou was not the first dog elected to the office, however. She was preceded by mayors Goofy and Junior.

• Wilbur the French Bulldog succeeded Lucy Lou as Rabbit Hash’s mayor in 2020.

• Duke the Dog. The Great Pyrenees served as mayor of Cormorant, Minnesota for four terms (each term limited to just one year). In his first run for office in 2014, he won with a grand total of 12 write-in votes. Whenever the town had parades, Duke was featured in the back of a convertible wearing his signature top hat.

• Parker the Bernese Mountain Dog. The local ski resort mascot served as honorary mayor in Georgetown, Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. Parker often attended Denver Broncos football games where he greeted the players as they took the field. He died of tragic circumstances in an auto accident on Christmas Eve 2024. Presumably, the dog was not driving.

• Mayor Max the Golden Retriever. His full name is Maximus Mighty Dog Mueller III, and he and his two predecessors have been the ceremonial mayors of Idyllwild, California since 2012. The current Max has been serving since 2022.

• Boston Curtis the Mule. In 1938, the town of Milton, Washington elected the animal as its Republican precinct committeeman. The candidacy was a practical joke perpetrated by Milton’s mayor as a way of showing how little the townsfolk paid attention to politics. The point was made when the mule won in by unanimous vote - 52 to 0.