Reuters
Sure, he commanded respect in Men in Black and No Country for Old Men. But can an Oscar-winning actor make it to Capitol Hill?
Geoff Berg, a liberal radio-show commentator in Houston, started a campaign to draft actor Tommy Lee Jones to run for U.S. Senate in Texas. And he’s completely serious about it.
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“I can’t think of another Democrat in Texas that has the necessary name ID, that has positive name ID, that would be able to raise money, and that would have at least the potential to attract string voters and a substantial number of Republicans,” he told the Texas Tribune. On the website he created for the campaign, Berg touts Jones’ name recognition, fluency in Spanish and ability to raise lots of money. Plus, he adds, Arnold Schwarzenegger won the election for California governor. Why couldn’t Jones win?
Berg concedes on his site that Jones has never expressed interest in running for any office. But Berg says the lack of electable Democrats in the state means it’s time for desperate measures. And Jones’ political experience started early — he and Al Gore were roommates at Harvard — so who knows? He and Al Franken could put on skits on the Senate floor.
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