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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cat candidate collecting support in Mexico

Morris
Olga R. Rodriguez Associated Press

MEXICO CITY – This mayoral hopeful in Mexico promises to eat, sleep most of the day and donate his leftover litter to fill potholes.

Morris, a black-and-white kitten with orange eyes, is running for mayor of Xalapa in eastern Mexico with the campaign slogan “Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat.” And he is attracting tens of thousands of politician-weary, two-legged supporters on social media.

“He sleeps almost all day and does nothing, and that fits the profile of a politician,” said 35-year-old office worker Sergio Chamorro, who adopted the 10-month-old feline last year.

Put forth as a candidate by Chamorro and a group of friends after they became disillusioned with the empty promises of politicians, Morris’ candidacy has resonated across Mexico, where citizens frustrated with human candidates are nominating their animals to run in July 7 elections being held in 14 states.

Morris’ cuteness, the clever campaign and promises to donate money collected from the sales of campaign stickers and T-shirts to an animal shelter has attracted cat lovers, but Chamorro said most of his supporters are tired of corrupt politicians and fraudulent elections.

Xalapa, a university city of 450,000 people, is the capital of the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, where residents have in the last two years been beleaguered by drug violence.