'World of Warcraft' State Senate Candidate Wins Election
Add another demographic to the list of winners on Tuesday night; in addition to Democrats, women, and marijuana advocates, gamers scored a political victory in Maine's state senate.
Colleen Lachowitz, the Democratic state senate candidate in Maine whose race drew national attention when the state's Republican party attacked her for her world of warcraft persona, won election on Tuesday, ousting Republican incumbent Tom H. Martin Jr. by a little over 900 votes, according to the Morning Sentinel.
Lachowitz drew criticism from the Maine state GOP for comments the candidate made online while playing World of Warcraft (Lachowicz is a level 85 orc in the popular multi-player online role-playing game.) Only, it wasn't Lachowicz herself who made the comments-it was Lachowicz's warcraft alter-ego, Santiaga.
Santiaga said some not-so-nice things about Republicans, including conservative tax icon and promoter of the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" Grover Norquist. Santiaga commented that she "may have to go and hunt down Grover Norquist and drown him in my bath tub."
Republicans launched a series of attacks against Lachowicz, maintaining that their criticism was not based on Lachowicz's gaming habit, but rather the comments made by her alter-ego while gaming.
"This is not about her playing video games, this is about the comments she made while gaming," David Sorenson, communications director for the Maine Republican Party, told ABC News, referring to the comments about Norquist, as well as things said about other Republicans. "These are all things that are unbecoming to a state Senator."
The attacks didn't sway voters though. Lachowicz, who works as a social worker in Kennebec, Maine, is now a state senator-elect in the Pine Tree state.
Supporters and fellow gamers flooded Lachowicz's facebook page with comments after her victory was announced.
"Victory Fanfare,The only thing to play! CONGRATS from Darkgoddess! (Gorefiend US)'" one supporter wrote.
"Lvl 90 Goblin Hunter signing in to say a hearty Congrats! to you for showing the world that we gamer girls really are EVERYWHERE, so you GOPers better watch out from now on hehe! IMO you are an inspiration…" said another.