From the let’s-elect-a-biker-for-public-office department comes the announcement that Rupert Boneham of the television show Survivor has declared his candidacy for governor of Indiana in 2012 on the Libertarian ticket. Rupert is well known to those of us who attend the Sturgis Rally, in part due to his colorful presence—the trademark tie-dyed shirts and, more recently, his tie-dye-painted Victory Vision 8 Ball. For the past six years, he has been a special guest at many of the Buffalo Chip’s charity events, such as the Legends Ride and the first-time Biker Belles.
Rupert has spent years in community service, starting in 1983 with his work with mentally handicapped children. About 20 years ago, he purchased an abandoned house in Indiana and turned it into a vocational training center for troubled teenagers who’d been thrown out of school. In 2004 he took part of his $1 million Survivor winnings and founded Rupert’s Kids, an Indianapolis nonprofit organization to help at-risk kids.
According to news reports, Rupert claims, in keeping with his work with those less fortunate, “I have only one interest—empowering Hoosiers to give back to their communities. Sometimes, some of these career politicians, these multimillionaires that are getting into office, have forgotten what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck.”
