Hank the Cat

Hank the Cat was a Maine Coon mix from Springfield, Virginia, who in 2012 mounted one of the most charming satirical political campaigns in American history — a write-in run for the United States Senate. Launched by his owners as a light-hearted stunt, "Hank for Senate" took on a life of its own: he had a campaign manager, policy positions (chiefly focused on animal welfare and neutering programmes), yard signs, T-shirts and a slick website, and his run doubled as a fundraiser, ultimately raising around $60,000 for animal-rescue charities. The campaign captured national and international media attention as a gentle parody of money-soaked modern politics, and it even attracted a real attack ad from a fictional rival "super PAC." When the votes were counted, Hank finished a remarkable third in the Virginia Senate race, drawing thousands of write-in votes from amused supporters. He proved that a cat could not only run for office but use the spotlight to do genuine good for other animals.