Ammon Bundy, a far-right activist in Idaho who claims to despise the government and is legally banned from the state's Capitol grounds, has filed the necessary paperwork to run as a Republican candidate for governor in 2022.
On Monday, Bundy told NBC News he has not made a formal announcement of his gubernatorial run but is planning on building his team.
"The people of Idaho are very freedom-minded. I had never desired (to run for office), but I knew as early as 2017 that I would run for governor of Idaho."
But it appears Bundy may need to refile his paperwork since he was not a registered voter in Idaho.
@TrumpluvsObama/Twitter
According to the Idaho Secretary of State's Office, Bundy filed as a Republican with an Emmett, Idaho P.O. box address and listed himself as treasurer for his campaign. He will need to refile since the treasurer must be a registered voter and there is no "Ammon Bundy" listed as a voter in the state.
You can see local news coverage here:
Filing paperwork in the state is necessary so potential candidates can begin fundraising.
The deadline to file is March 1, 2022.
Because a treasurer must be a registered Idaho voter, Ammon Bundy will either need to register and refile or name a new treasurer by refiling. IDSOS staff have notified him as such.— Idaho Secretary of State (@Idaho Secretary of State) 1621640270
The anti-government activist was arrested twice in Boise earlier this month and taken to Ada County Jail on a misdemeanor trespassing charge, according to Idaho State Police spokesperson Lynn Hightower.
"As I understand, he was not cooperative (with police)," said Hightower.
His bail was set at $300.
Two hours later, a state trooper spotted Bundy on the third floor of the building, and he was arrested a second time that day for being uncooperative.
He was taken into custody again on a misdemeanor trespassing charge and also for misdemeanor resisting or obstructing, according to the Idaho Statesman.
The double arrests on the same day were his fourth and fifth arrests in nine months—with four of those involving the state Capitol.
Bundy had been issued a no-trespassing notice for the Idaho Statehouse for one year, which was enacted on August 26 after he refused to leave a committee room after a hearing ended inside the building.
Ammon Bundy Hates The Government So Much He Wants To Be Governor Of Idahohttps://www.wonkette.com/ammon-bundy-hates-the-government-so-much-he-wants-to-be-governor-of-idaho\u00a0\u2026— Wonkette (@Wonkette) 1621710586
"I hate government and want to be in it" is a hell of a platform. But hey it's Idaho so it will work...— Florian Maderspacher (@Florian Maderspacher) 1621892799
Bundy is notorious for a 41-day armed standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in a remote area of Oregon to protest being asked to pay to use federal land for grazing.
Ammon Bundy, the guy who orchestrated a standoff at a bird sanctuary here in Oregon, files paperwork to run for Idaho governor as Republican.\n\nBundy and his kinfolk are about as ridiculous and lawless as they come.https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article251599273.html\u00a0\u2026— Nick Walden Poublon (@Nick Walden Poublon) 1621698935
People had plenty to articulate on Twitter about the prospect of Governor Ammon Bundy.
If you vote for Ammon Bundy to be the governor of Idaho we can't be friends.— Amberly (@Amberly) 1621652312
Why do people vote for candidates who plainly want to destroy the office for which they are running?— Z Trap Iso (@Z Trap Iso) 1621885659
Hope he wins & gives the people of red state Iowa what it deserves; disarray and financial ruin.— dwnthalane (@dwnthalane) 1621886031
Being a criminal is not required but is a bonus for potential GOP candidates— Noble Prize in Sarcasm (@Noble Prize in Sarcasm) 1621886996
Downfall of Rome happening right before our eyes— leejeh (@leejeh) 1621886705
The current Idaho Governor, Republican Brad Little, had been unsuccessfully targeted for recall by anti-government activists who complained about his shutdown mandates during the pandemic.
According to KTVB 7, Bundy is joined by Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin, the incumbent Governor, and four others who have filed for the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary.