Democrat Benjamin Thomas Wolf, campaigning in the primary to carry the … er … torch for his party in the November election, isn’t hiding his pro-marijuana views. Visitors to his campaign website first see him using in front of a painting of the American Flag. Smoke circles him.
No need for a position paper. You can tweet the only message under the image: “Legalize cannabis. Vote March 20th #WolfForCongress #CannabisCandidate.”
“As a cannabis user, I think it’s important we get out front and talk about it,” Wolf told the Chicago Sun-Times. “We realize that cannabis can bring billions of dollars to the state, it’s medicine for millions of people around the country, it changes criminal justice reform and personally I think it’s a wonderful recreational substance as well.”
Deeper into his website he is equally blunt about his position on cannabis, calling for “The immediate legalization of marijuana and hemp for both medicinal and recreational uses in all U.S. states, cities, and territories. This will bring billions of dollars in tax revenue and allow major reform in our criminal justice system.”
Three other candidates, including incumbent Rep. Mike Quigley, are running in the primary for the state’s 5th Congressional District.
Wolf also supports bringing back a federal assault weapons ban. In a video on the site, he holds an AR-15 for effect. The weapon is illegal in Chicago. He told the Sun-Times it was a friend’s.
The joint, however, he says,“That’s mine, we had a poker night with our campaign staff and I think that was left behind.”
Wolf is a political newbie, as far as electoral races go. But he has experience in D.C. working for the FBI and State Department.
The district is used to handling big personalities. Though Quigley hasn’t made much news, current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel held the seat from 2002 to 2009, leaving to become White House Chief of Staff in the Obama administration. Before that Rod Blagojevich, who went on to become Illinois’ governor before his 2009 corruption charges eventually sent him to federal prison in 2012. Except for two single-term Republicans, the district has sent Democrats to D.C. since 1900.
