Oh, my! Out “Star Trek” actor and civil rights activist George Takei, announced today on Twitter that he’s planning to run for Congress next year to unseat California Representative Devin Nunes.
“Well, the cat’s out of the bag it seems. Let’s do this! #Takei2018,” Takei tweeted just after midnight, linking to an article on The Daily Buzz claiming Takei would try to unseat the Republican House Intelligence Committee Chairman in 2018.
Well, the cat's out of the bag it seems. Let's do this! #Takei2018 https://t.co/Wf7qvV1eXj
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 1, 2017
Hours after his first tweet, Takei admitted his announcement was actually an April Fools Day joke, to the disappointment of thousands of his fans.
No, I'm not running for Congress. Happy 4/1!
But Jon Ossoff is on 4/18. Help him win at https://t.co/ctCcRiYcdL. Let's flip Congress in '18 pic.twitter.com/41uj6l3yt7
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 1, 2017
He did promote Democrat Jon Ossoff’s run for the open Georgia U.S. House seat in the same tweet.
“With what is going on now in the country, I couldn’t stand by any longer merely as a citizen. I knew I had to take a bigger stand. So that’s why I’m running for Congress. My hope is to challenge Devin Nunes for his seat in 2018,” Takei said in the Daily Buzz article, posted late Friday.
“I hope you can count me as one of your early endorsers,” tweeted actor and activist Mark Ruffalo, before Takei let the cat out of the bag. “This is great news!”
Takei’s fans are heartbroken:
@GeorgeTakei Aw daaammmmn! Way to break my heart.
— Caroline on Crack (@Carolineoncrack) April 1, 2017
@GeorgeTakei This is a damn shame. I would have voted for you.
— Sean Hollister (@StarFire2258) April 1, 2017
@GeorgeTakei Lol George!! Nooo!! You got me! We're all still voting for you, so joke's on you buddy! Get ready for work! 😜
— Nick Bolton (@NickBolton13) April 1, 2017
@reappropriate @GeorgeTakei Maybe he'll run for president instead? With Wendy Davis as his Vice?
— John Brockman (@Surgoshan) April 1, 2017
@GeorgeTakei pic.twitter.com/BW2Occqfpr
— Black Iron Man (@AnthonyStark999) April 1, 2017
The Hill adds:
It has since been revealed that the day before his announcement, Nunes went to the White House to receive the intel he cited. Reports say two White House officials helped give Nunes the intel that he announced. He has insisted he won’t show the information to the rest of the Intel Committee.
Show