The California governor’s primary is already over with Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton advancing to the November general election, and most of the losing candidates have conceded and exited the race.
But one longshot contender, in a development the internet is finding hilarious, is taking his bid to the next level: a run for president in 2028.
Barack D. Obama Shaw’s campaign for governor caught attention when mail ballots were sent out in May for his name’s stunning similarity to former President Barack Obama. He was one of 61 names on the governor’s ballot, many of whom like him were considered minor contenders with little to no recognition.
Shaw, a Democrat, describes himself as a “politician, musician and an international promoter of products and services that are the best in the world.”
Many had assumed his run was a prank or joke.
Shaw was born as Cecil L. Shaw III but legally changed his name in 2013, Globe Magazine reported, because the former president inspired him. His new name represents hope, he said.
“Obama made the impossible possible for people that looked like me, to become President of the United States,” he explained.
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He attempted to become mayor of the Bay Area city of Alameda before running for governor. He finished in the governor’s race with just 16,522 votes at a 0.2% vote share.
He announced his run for the 2028 presidency the day after that election and a few days later, explained why he’s going for the White House.
“You know, they said Thomas Edison didn’t fail 10,000 times. He created 10,000 ways of how not to make the light bulb,” Shaw said in a video. “So obviously I was running for president the whole time. I just didn’t know it.”
Still, the public is taking Shaw’s presidential announcement with humor.
“Hey Hunter Biden, I think we’ve found your running mate here,” one user commented, tagging former President Joe Biden’s son who had joked with California Gov. Gavin Newsom about a run.
“This man can’t be real. I saw him on the ballot and still couldn’t believe it,” another user said.
Shaw is likely to face potential Democratic contenders with more serious chances from his own state in 2028, particularly Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressman Ro Khanna.
