August 10, 2010 8:07 AM

Levi Johnston: Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska?

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CBSNews
Levi Johnston arrives at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday Aug. 9, 2009, in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Levi Johnston arrives at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday Aug. 9, 2009, in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

(AP)  Levi Johnston may be following in Sarah Palin's footsteps.

Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, on Monday confirmed a report on Variety magazine's website that Johnston is planning to run for city office in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, as part of a reality TV show.

Wasilla is where Palin got her start in politics, moving up from City Council to mayor before winning election as Alaska's governor in 2006.

Jones said Johnston is serious about a run, either for mayor or City Council.

"Let me put it to you like this: If you live in a town and things are happening in that town, and you're displeased with it, what do you do? You try to change those things," Jones said.

He declined to give specifics on what Johnston wants to change but insisted the run is real. "This is not a spoof. This is not a joke," Jones said.

According to the Wasilla city clerk, the next mayoral election is in 2011. The candidate filing period for council elections this October closed July 30. Johnston isn't listed among those candidates.

Wasilla's outspoken current mayor, Verne Rupright, was at a meeting Monday and didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Johnston, 20, is the father of Palin's grandson, Tripp, and the recently off-again flame to her daughter Bristol. He has seemingly come to embrace the spotlight since first being thrust into it in 2008, amid Palin's bid for vice president, when he and Bristol were unwed teenagers expecting a child together.

Since then, he's gone on to pose for Playgirl and appear with Kathy Griffin on her reality show. On Sunday, he walked the red carpet at the Teen Choice Awards with singer Brittani Senser, with whom he agreed to shoot a music video.

Asked whether he believed people would take Johnston's run for office seriously, with TV cameras rolling, Jones said: "People questioned Jesus Christ, so I definitely don't care about these mere mortals questioning Levi Johnston.

"People can question whatever they want. I mean, he's going to keep on doing his thing," he said. "He was going to do this, even if this wasn't a reality show."

AP
Add a Comment See all 43 Comments
by Green8019 August 27, 2010 9:35 AM EDT
Hey, if Sarah can do it without any proper education or knowledge, why not Levi?? More power to him for it will finally prove to her (Sarah) that any idiot can be Mayor of Wasilla!! Then he can run for Governor and then.........
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by jasonf44 October 5, 2010 11:43 PM EDT
The End Is Definitely NIGH. FROBlog weighs in: http://jfroblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/levi-johnston-baby-daddy-playgirl.html
by aztallguy32 August 11, 2010 2:08 AM EDT
Anybody that votes for this guy is a total moron.
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by bassinapple August 10, 2010 1:05 PM EDT
This morning, while I was looking for information on the new "State-Aid" bill the Congress is set to vote on today, I ran into a headline that read, "FIRST SHOTS: House to pass $26 billion aid bill, Levi Johnston for mayor? " Before the media thought twice to push this "Levi running for Mayor" anti-Palin story, they may have wanted to check the facts.

The facts are that Levi Johnston isn't even eligible to run for Mayor. According to the Wasilla candidate qualification code, an individual running for that office, must be resident of the city. It reads (emphasis mine):


4.12.010 Candidate qualifications.
Any person is eligible for city office if the person is a qualified voter of the city and meets state and city requirements for the office.
A. Candidates for council seats shall reside in the city and meet the requirements of Chapter 2.04

Levi Johnston does not live in the city of Wasilla. So automatically, he is disqualified. Not to mention, one needs to be twenty one years old to hold office, which as everyone should know by now, Levi is not.

So while the media is loving playing up this publicity stunt by Levi's handlers, they never bothered to check basic facts. In light of this information, I doubt this "reality show" will end up going as planned. Once again, in a rush to harm Governor Palin, the press ends up looking foolish.
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by emelieB August 10, 2010 12:45 PM EDT
Every time I hear the name Levi Johnston or see his picture, I want to puke!!!
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by dadirt August 10, 2010 12:10 PM EDT
He will make a good democrat, male *****, does anything for money, no morals, no scruples. He should go far in the democratic party! Maybe he should move to Hollywood! At least make child suport payments.
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by renagade112 August 10, 2010 10:28 AM EDT
I think news organizations any credibility when they show these stories. This is not news... this is crap. This guy is nothing to nobody except he happens to be friends and family of a personality. CBS news would fair better in not publishing such nonsence.
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by tsigili August 10, 2010 10:24 AM EDT
I wouldn't allow that kid to manage his weekly allowance.
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by Brokennews August 10, 2010 10:08 AM EDT
What happened to his dream of being Ron Jeremy's apprentice??
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by stevex47 August 10, 2010 9:21 AM EDT
I'm sure sara will stump for the lad, bring him in some big cash for the long mayoral run !

Next stop...vice pres. with sara as president !
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by thanksgreed August 10, 2010 8:47 AM EDT
What a sad commentary on the mentality of the country.
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