August 1, 2008

Campaign T-shirts stump for Fairhope, Ala., newest mayoral candidate, Willie Bean the dog. (Photo Courtesy of Tress Turner, Pet Pulse Design by Mike Lloyd)

FAIRHOPE, Ala. -- What began with confusion over a campaign sign has turned an Alabama town’s mayoral race from a seven-candidate field into an eight-man competition –- actually, seven people and a dog.

As the owner of The Coffee Loft, a popular local hangout, Tress Turner had never openly displayed campaign posters in her establishment supporting a particular candidate for local office.

“Everybody walks in here,” Turner told Pet Pulse. “And this place was about serving coffee, and having fun, and everybody knows each other.”

When someone recently posted one mayoral hopeful’s campaign sign near her coffee shop’s property, Turner was bombarded with questions from people mistakenly thinking she was taking a side.

Finally, Turner settled on a candidate she supports in the August 26 election -- her 7-year-old Labrador retriever, Willie Bean.

“It just has brought a lot of happiness and light heartedness to the election,” Turner said.

While Willie Bean is not listed on the mayoral ballot in this town of about 14,000 residents, he is campaigning for the office -- just for fun. Serving as his campaign manager, “Job One” for Turner was making “Willie Bean For Mayor” T-shirts.

Little did Turner anticipate the overwhelming demand for the shirts.

“Everybody’s coming through here to get a T-shirt,” she said. “I can’t keep them on the rack. Everybody from all over the United States is calling to order T-shirts. I can’t get them out fast enough.”

To accommodate the shirt orders, Turner this week launched a Web site, WillieBeanForMayor.com, though a component for ordering shirts was still under construction.

The candidates, Turner says, are getting a kick out of their newest political “opponent,” whose full name is Willie Bean Roscoe P. Coltrane, named after the sheriff on the old television show, Dukes of Hazzard.

“The candidates are having fun with it, they think it’s great,” Turner said. “And the attention that it’s bringing to the town, the town’s so excited about it.”

There is a precedent for dogs running for, and even serving as mayor. Junior, a black Lab, was elected mayor of Rabbit Hash, Ky., by popular vote in 2004. He passed away a few months ago at the age of 12.

Willie Bean has been invited to an upcoming candidates forum, and to a performing arts function for the candidates at a fancy restaurant in town. He will also appear with the candidates at Fairhope’s downtown arts festival.

There is a serious side to this canine stumping. Envelopes have been made that say, “Willie Bean For Mayor.” Stuffing an envelope with a dollar buys people a vote for Willie Bean, and the money benefits the Baldwin County Animal Rescue Coalition, known as BARC.

“So we’re all excited, because they think that Willie is going to get more votes than the candidates,” Turner said.

Money generated by the T-shirt sales will go to an animal cause to be determined, Turner says.

At the Coffee Loft, where Willie Bean is a fixture, the dog’s political career has been a boon for attracting customers, though it has not necessarily created a spike in business.

In some instances, “People have come in just to pet Willie Bean and walk out,” Turner said.

Naturally, Willie Bean campaign slogans have come flooding in, including “Sniffing Out the Issues,” “A Doggone Good Choice,” “If You Can’t Run With The Big Dogs Then Don’t Run For Mayor,” and “Always One Leg Up On The Competition” -- but don’t they mean two legs Up?

“I’ve got probably a hundred slogans that people have come up with,” Turner said. “It’s hilarious.”

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