Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe would reluctantly consider running for political office after all the attention his viral anti-MAGA speech at a California city council meeting has drummed up.
Kluwe, 43, opened up during an interview with TMZ, about the explosive incident that saw him get dragged out and arrested and why it may force him to get into politics.
“Personally, I do not want to run for public office because I do not want power,” Kluwe told TMZ. “That’s not something I desire. I want everyone to be able to live their own life, free to live their life without other people harming them. Unfortunately, we’re in a position where it looks like I might have to run for public office.”
Kluwe, who spent eight seasons in the NFL from 2005-12, added that he hates the idea because he would rather “sit at home and play video games.”
He called holding public office an “exhausting, demanding job.”
“That means you care about everyone,” he added. “You have to care about their issues, and you have to find ways to help try and solve those issues.”
Kluwe revealed to TMZ that he’s already been contacted by members of the Democratic Party, having already had a Zoom meeting with a couple of local operatives and with another scheduled later this week.
“We’ll see what happens there,” Kluwe said. “I’m sure they’ll probably try to make a pitch. But the thing that I firmly believe is that what our current Democratic Party is doing is not working, and it’s time for the old guard to leave. It’s time for new faces to take over.”
Kluwe, an outspoken LGBTQ+ and marriage equality activist, thrust himself into the spotlight at a Huntington Beach, California, city council meeting, where residents were upset about a library plaque viewed as a “propaganda statement” because of its references to the Make America Great Again movement.
The words “Magical,” “Alluring,” “Galvanizing,” and “Adventurous” appear next to each other on the plaque spelling out MAGA and residents believed the phrase underneath references some of the themes of President Trump’s movement.
“Through hope and change our nation has built back better to the golden era of Making America Great Again!” the wording reads, according to the Orange County Register.
“Unfortunately, it’s clear that this council doesn’t listen, so instead I’m gonna take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past three weeks,” Kluwe told the seven-member council last Tuesday.
“MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans.”
After telling the council he would partake in civil disobedience, Kluwe was arrested after taking one step toward them.
Kluwe doesn’t regret anything that happened that day, he told TMZ.
“I am perfectly content with how things played out,” Kluwe said, “because I think it showed a spotlight on what’s happening locally here in Huntington Beach and how our city council is just not listening to us as a community.”
