INDIANAPOLIS — Rupert Boneham won over TV viewers during 2004’s “Survivor: All-Stars” — earning a nifty $1 million as the overwhelming choice for fan favorite. Now the bushy-bearded, tie-dye-wearing Boneham is hoping Indiana voters will find him just as charming.
Boneham, 47, announced Saturday that he’s seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for Indiana governor, saying he wants to take on the state’s political establishment because he feels voters deserve better.
At a news conference in Indianapolis, Boneham said he’s the best candidate to replace Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who is term-limited, because he’s “not beholden to any special interests.”
In prepared statements circulated later by his campaign, Boneham said he wants to run as the Libertarian candidate because he thinks Indiana voters deserve an alternative to “the dysfunctional state of our current government.”
“I have only one interest: Empowering Hoosiers to give back to their communities. If the government puts up roadblocks, then they should be repealed,” Boneham said.
Boneham donated a portion of his “Survivor: All-Stars” winnings to his Indianapolis- based charity, Rupert’s Kids, which provides mentoring and job training to at-risk youths.
Boneham formed an exploratory committee in August for a possible gubernatorial bid and said he wanted to gauge public support to see whether people are ready to elect him.
Among the candidates who are seeking to replace Daniels, GOP Rep. Mike Pence and former Democratic Indiana House Speaker John Gregg are the early favorites.
