Back in April, Atlanta-based State Representative Tyrone Brooks resigned, leaving a vacancy in District 55 of the Georgia House of Representatives. There will be an election to fill the position tomorrow (June 16), and Run the Jewels rapper Killer Mike has put forth his name as a candidate.
The rapper's name isn't actually on the ballot, but he made an Instagram post today (June 15) encouraging voters to vote for him as a write-in candidate. He's campaigning under his real name, Michael Render (so voters probably shouldn't write "Killer Mike").
The rapper urged voters, "In Atlanta Georgia there will be special election tomorrow for District 55. Former state representative Tyrone Brooks no longer sits in the seat. I would like as many people as possible to go to the polls and write in Michael Render. Why because if I win we win. Thank you now go vote." That's his promo image above.
Killer Mike has emerged as a political figure in the past year, since he's penned open letters and op-eds on topics like the uprisings in Ferguson and the violence in Baltimore. His campaign for the House of Representatives is rather last-minute, since the filing deadline for candidates was April 30.
Update: It looks like Killer Mike's campaign was too late, and he's not eligible as a write-in candidate. He is planning to run in the future, however. See Mike's latest message below.
The rapper's name isn't actually on the ballot, but he made an Instagram post today (June 15) encouraging voters to vote for him as a write-in candidate. He's campaigning under his real name, Michael Render (so voters probably shouldn't write "Killer Mike").
The rapper urged voters, "In Atlanta Georgia there will be special election tomorrow for District 55. Former state representative Tyrone Brooks no longer sits in the seat. I would like as many people as possible to go to the polls and write in Michael Render. Why because if I win we win. Thank you now go vote." That's his promo image above.
Killer Mike has emerged as a political figure in the past year, since he's penned open letters and op-eds on topics like the uprisings in Ferguson and the violence in Baltimore. His campaign for the House of Representatives is rather last-minute, since the filing deadline for candidates was April 30.
Update: It looks like Killer Mike's campaign was too late, and he's not eligible as a write-in candidate. He is planning to run in the future, however. See Mike's latest message below.