Deez Nuts
Campaign2016 U.S. presidential election
CandidateDeez Nuts
AffiliationIndependent[1]
HeadquartersWallingford, Iowa
Key peopleBrady C. Olson

Deez Nuts was a satirical presidential candidate portrayed by Brady C. Olson who ran for president of the United States in 2016.

On July 26, 2015, Olson—then 15 years of age, and a resident of Wallingford, Iowa—filed a statement of Deez Nuts's presidential candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. In polls conducted by Public Policy Polling in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Carolina in mid-August 2015, Deez Nuts polled at eight, eight, and nine percent, respectively, garnering media attention.[2][3][4]

On August 19, 2015, The Daily Beast revealed that Deez Nuts was actually Olson.[2] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Olson said that he jokingly created the Deez Nuts candidacy "half-trying to break the two-party system" and half out of frustration with the leading candidates, choosing the pseudonym based on the bofa meme. Olson endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination and Ohio Governor John Kasich for the Republican nomination.[5] Olson has expressed libertarian views.[6] According to Section 1 of Article Two of the United States Constitution, Olson did not meet the minimum age requirement (35 years) to serve as president if elected.[7]

Nuts' bid for the presidency drew attention to other questionable candidates who had filed to run for office.[8][9][10] Analyst Jim Williams of Public Policy Polling opined that because of a fringe element of the population with a penchant for anti-establishment candidates, "you could call [the third party candidate] anything, and they would get their 7% or 8%".[11]

On October 11, 2015, Deez Nuts announced on Facebook that he intended to run for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Nuts cited the scarcity of candidates for the position as well as his alleged eligibility for it. A poll taken in Texas in mid-August 2016 showed Nuts receiving 3% support for the House speakership; this figure exceeded the amount of support received by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and the deceased gorilla Harambe, another Internet phenomenon.[12]

Campaign policy positions

The New York Times reported that Nuts supported the Iran nuclear deal and a balanced budget. The Gazette said his campaign website indicated support for deporting undocumented adults, cutting subsidies for oil companies, and offering corporate tax incentives to create US-based jobs.[13]

Endorsements and reactions

Deez Nuts was endorsed by hip-hop artist Warren G, who had created the original skit "Deeez Nuuuts" as part of a song on Dr. Dre's album The Chronic.[14] Rapper Ice-T also endorsed Deez Nuts.[15]

Music producer Diplo said "If I got to decide between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton ... I'm definitely voting for Deez Nuts." Television host Conan O'Brian stopped short of an endorsement, saying, "Before we completely write him off as a joke, why don't we at least find out more about the foreign policy experience of Deez Nuts?"[16]

Polling

Nationwide

Poll source Date Democratic candidate % Republican candidate % Independent candidate %
Public Policy Polling[17]

Sample size: 1,083
Margin of error ±3.0%

March 24–26, 2016 Hillary Clinton 42% Donald Trump 37% Deez Nuts 10%
Bernie Sanders 43% Donald Trump 37% Deez Nuts 8%

Statewide

North Carolina

Poll source Date Democratic candidate % Republican candidate % Independent candidate % Other %
Public Policy Polling[18]

Sample size: 406
Margin of error ±3.2%

August 12–16, 2015 Hillary Clinton 38% Donald Trump 40% Deez Nuts 9% Not sure 12%
Poll source Date
Public Policy Polling[19] Q33: joke candidates

Sample size: 1,254
Margin of error ±2.8%

August 28–30, 2016
Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Other %
Beast Mode 5% Butt Stuff 3% Captain Crunch 17% Cranky Pants 2% Deez Nuts 9% Limberbutt McCubins 1% 'Murican Cookies 1% Queen Elsa Ice 4% Not sure 58%

Texas

Poll source Date Democratic candidate % Republican candidate % Independent candidate % Independent candidate % Other %
Public Policy Polling[20]

Sample size: 944
Margin of error ±3.2%

August 12–14, 2016 Hillary Clinton 38% Donald Trump 47% Deez Nuts 3% Harambe 2% Undecided 11%

Utah

Poll source Date Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Candidate % Other %
Public Policy Polling[21] Q18: minor candidates

Sample size: 1,018
Margin of error ±3.1%

August 19–21, 2016 Darrell Castle 3% Deez Nuts 4% Harambe 3% Gary Johnson 18% Evan McMullin 11% Jill Stein 5% Not sure 54%

Aftermath

In August 2016, the Federal Election Commission announced its intent to punish future satirical candidates for president for filing false documents with a federal agency.[22][23]

Olson later enrolled at the University of Iowa to study finance. In 2019, he told The Gazette, "I don't foresee ever running again".[13]

References

  1. ^ Woolf, Nicky (August 20, 2015). ""I have so many websites" Donald "All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me" Trump beware: political apprentice Deez Nuts is top-polling independent". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Collins, Ben (August 19, 2015). "Presidential Sensation Deez Nuts Is a 15-Year-Old Iowa Farm Boy". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  3. ^ Details for Candidate ID : P60009198 Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, Federal Election Commission.
  4. ^ Jensen, Tom. "Trump grows lead in NC; GOP leads most match ups". Ed. Dean Debnam. Public Policy Polling, August 19, 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2015. Archived 2015-08-22 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Dickinson, Tim (August 20, 2015). "Meet 'Deez Nuts,' the Teen Presidential Candidate Punking America". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  6. ^ Soave, Robby (August 20, 2015). "2016 Presidential Candidate Deez Nuts Is (Are?) Libertarian". Hit and Run Blog. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  7. ^ "Constitution of the United States, Article 2, Section 1". Archived from the original on 2011-08-19. Retrieved 2015-08-21. neither shall any Person be eligible to [the office of President of the United States of America] who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years
  8. ^ Kaplan, Rebecca (July 28, 2015). Deez Nuts is running for president Archived 2015-08-20 at the Wayback Machine, CBS News
  9. ^ Fang, Marina (August 4, 2015). 'Deez Nuts' And 'Sydneys Voluptuous Buttocks' Are Running For President, Because Why Not Archived 2015-08-23 at the Wayback Machine, Huffington Post
  10. ^ Fuller, Jaime (August 19, 2015). Poll Numbers Improving for 15-Year-Old Presidential Candidate 'Deez Nuts' Archived 2015-08-20 at the Wayback Machine, New York
  11. ^ Berenson, Tessa (August 20, 2015). "Meet the 15-Year Old Presidential Candidate Who is Polling 9%". Time. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  12. ^ Poll: Jill Stein tied with Harambe, trailing Deez Nutz in Texas Archived 2016-08-21 at the Wayback Machine (16 Aug 2016), The Hill.
  13. ^ a b Lynch, James Q. (2 September 2019). "A brief caucus sensation, Deez Nuts moves on". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  14. ^ Collins, Ben (August 20, 2015). "Warren G Endorses Deez Nuts for President". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  15. ^ "Ice-T Said Everything Tapper Couldn't During #CNNDebate Live-Tweets". mediaite.com. 17 September 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  16. ^ Munson, Kyle (August 26, 2015). "At home on the farm with 'Deez Nuts'". Newspapers.com. The Des Moines Register. pp. A1, A11. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  17. ^ "Romney/Ryan Wouldn't be GOP Salvation Against Clinton". Public Policy Polling. March 31, 2016. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "Trump grows lead in NC; GOP leads most match ups". Public Policy Polling. August 19, 2015. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  19. ^ "Clinton Closely Matched with Carson, Fiorina, Trump" (PDF). September 3, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  20. ^ "Trump Leads By Only 6 in Texas". Public Policy Polling. August 16, 2016. Archived from the original on August 24, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  21. ^ "Trump Unpopular, But Still Heavily Favored in Utah" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. August 23, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  22. ^ Schouten, Fredreka (August 19, 2016). "Federal Election Commission cracks down on Deez Nuts, other fake candidates". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  23. ^ "False Fictitious Filing". Archived from the original on 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
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