White GOP Candidate Changes Name to Cesar Chavez in Arizona Race

By Aura Bogado Jun 02, 2014

Scott Fistler didn’t do too well in the 2012 election. The Republican ran (and lost) as a write-in candidate against Rep. Ed Pastor, a Democrat. But Fistler seems to have had a novel idea to take the 7th district–which is largely Latino–later this year.

About six months ago, Fislter petitioned a judge for a name change–to Cesar Chavez, ostensibly after the labor leader. He’s also switched parties and is now a Democrat running on the ticket to, once again, try to win. It’s unclear if any of his political views have changed.

But it gets better. Chavez’s election website ("CESAR CHAVEZ for CONGRESS 2014!"–that also includes a Spanish language translation) features images of masses of people wearing red t-shirts with the name Chavez plastered on them. But those folks aren’t out on the streets of Arizona for candidate Chavez; they’re on the streets of Venezuela for now-deceased President Hugo Chávez.  

To be fair, however, this wouldn’t be the first time someone would confuse Cesar Chavez and Hugo Chávez for the same person.

(h/t Arizona Capital Times)