Dustin Ebey, Now “Literally Anybody Else,” Protests Limited Presidential Candidates.
A math teacher from Texas, previously known as Dustin Ebey, has legally altered his name to Literally Anybody Else in a bid to run for the presidency. This move is a protest against what he perceives as a poor selection of candidates from the two major parties. The 35-year-old Army veteran and seventh-grade math teacher managed to get a judge in Tarrant County to approve his unique name change, which is now reflected on his driver’s license.
He has officially filed to participate in the general election, hoping to see a ballot that reads, “Donald Trump, Joe Biden… and underneath, Literally Anybody Else.” He explained to the media, “It’s not necessarily about me as a person but it’s about ‘Literally Anybody Else’ as an idea.” He believes that out of 300 million people, there are better options than Trump and Biden.
Else, who is frustrated with the constant power struggle between the two parties, believes there should be an alternative for people like him who feel the common person doesn’t benefit from this struggle. The prospective commander-in-chief, who has registered with the Federal Election Commission, recently attended a Dallas Stars hockey game at the American Airlines Center, sporting a cap with his new name.
Else is gathering signatures in an attempt to secure a spot on Texas’s November ballot as an independent candidate. He needs a staggering 113,151 signatures from non-primary voters by May 13 to get his unique name on the ballot. He acknowledges the difficulty of this task, but remains hopeful, stating, “I’m not delusional. This will be very hard to do, but it’s not impossible.”
He believes his candidacy provides a ‘neither’ option on the ballot, filling a gap in the current political landscape. According to a recent ABC/Ipsos poll, when Americans were asked who they’d trust to lead the nation better – Trump, Biden, or neither – 36% chose Trump, 33% chose Biden, and 30% trusted neither. Else argues, “People are voting for the lesser of two evils, not someone they actually believe in or support. People should have the option to vote for someone who resembles and represents them, not the lesser of two evils. I reject that.”
The former insurance adjuster, who has traveled widely as a singer in the US Army Chorus, identifies as a political centrist with beliefs from both the right and the left. He expressed a desire to bring some reality to the debate stage, stating, “I’m there because both of them aren’t enough.” He encourages others to stand up for themselves and make a difference, saying, “We have the responsibility to stand up for ourselves and say enough is enough. Let everyone know we’re not hopeless. If you want to accomplish something no one ever has — you have to do something no one’s ever done.”
