Will a Red Ant Become a Dark Horse in Race for Mayor?

The race for mayor of Aspen, Colorado just got a little more exciting. The Red Ant, a pesky 8-month-old solenopsis invicta, just announced her candidacy to be the town's top arthropod. The feisty Formicid will run against incumbent Mayor Mick Ireland, and fellow challengers Andrew Kole and LJ Erspamer.

The newest candidate for mayor in Aspen, Colorado - the Red Ant.
Image courtesy of TheRedAnt.com. Used with permission.

Why would an ant run for mayor? The Red Ant said she was encouraged by a recent Aspen Times poll. Seventy percent of the 1,361 respondents planned to vote for 'Anybody but Mick.' Those seem like good odds.

The tougher challenge will be getting on the official ballot. While there is little chance the Red Ant will be listed on the ballot due to the insurmountable requirement that she be a "natural person," she responded, "If I have to prove it, so should Andrew and Mick," referring to her fellow candidates Kole and Mayor Ireland.

The Red Ant paraphrased Steven Colbert in his recent bid for the Presidency, "I don't want to BE Mayor, I want to RUN FOR Mayor. There's a difference." The newest challenger to Mayor Ireland is antsy to share her platform, which calls for a more democratic and responsive government to Aspen.

The Red Ant's campaign managers, Marilyn Marks and Elizabeth Milias, have been vocal critics of Aspen's elected leaders for some time now. The pair write a blog called TheRedAnt.com, to provide commentary on local civic matters in Aspen. You'll find the Red Ant's entire election platform on their site.

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