Rudy Pantoja
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Rudolph McCoy-Pantoja Jr. (born July 20, 1964)[1] is an American perennial political candidate and resident of Seattle, Washington. He became an internet meme due to a 2016 viral video of him jokingly identifying as "Hugh Mungus".
The "Hugh Mungus" incident[]
On August 10, 2016, Pantoja spoke at a public meeting of the Seattle City Council in support of a new police station in the North Precinct, crediting the police with helping his daughter obtain treatment for addiction to heroin. Black Lives Matter activists attended the meeting in opposition to the precinct and were recorded off-camera jeering and deriding Pantoja as he spoke and mistakenly assuming his race to be white.[2] Pantoja is Chicano.[3][4]
At the meeting, activist Zarna Joshi condemned the proposed police station and police in general.[2] After the meeting, she encountered Pantoja outside of City Council chambers as she was videotaping. Pantoja asked, “Do you want my name?” and proceeded to offer the gag name "Hugh Mungus.” Joshi responded by angrily and repeatedly asking "Humongous what?", accusing him of sexual harassment, pursuing him with her camera, and ultimately ending up in an altercation with the authorities present.[5][6][7][2] The video gained particular notoriety online following a reaction video posted by YouTube channel h3h3Productions.[8]
Community activities[]
Pantoja chose not to take part in the Great American Boycott on May 1, 2006. He instead was seen sweeping a sidewalk in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.[9]
Following the 2012 Packers–Seahawks officiating controversy, Pantoja attempted to exchange gifts with Green Bay, Wisconsin mayor Jim Schmitt. After Schmitt's office refused the gifts, Pantoja exchanged gifts with Delavan, Wisconsin mayor Mel Nieuwenhuis. Pantoja sent local beer, smoked salmon and kringles to Nieuwenhuis. In return Nieuwenhuis planned to send a "six or 12-pack of Miller High Life, cheese and fresh venison he hunted himself."[10]
Pantoja supports Everett-based charity , an organization that aims to help people struggling with addiction and depression off the streets.[11][2]
A gardener by profession, he ran for Washington House of Representatives in 1994, 1996, and 2002. He ran for Seattle City Council Position 8 in 2017, and he opposed a local income tax, arguing that "it would have to be determined statewide".[1][7]
In May 2019, Pantoja attended a public safety forum about neighborhood crime held by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.[12]
Pantoja has been working as a landscaper and garden designer in the Seattle Area since the 1990s, and he said he has installed stone paths, waterfalls, and fountains.[13][2]
Personal life[]
Pantoja is of Mexican, German and Native American descent and considers himself to be Chicano.[4] A GoFundMe campaign started by Ethan Klein of h3h3Productions in November 2016 raised $155,000 for him after he faced several health problems. Klein originally set up a YouCaring campaign, but it was shut down.[14] Some of the problems he faced were a hip replacement, his truck breaking down, and being served an eviction notice.[15]
Pantoja is a grandfather and mentioned his daughter had previously struggled from opiate addiction until he was able to get her into a recovery program, and Pantoja himself was also in recovery from alcoholism.[2]
Pantoja lives in Crown Hill.[12]
Electoral history[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mary Lou Dickerson | 4,922 | 23.32 | |
Republican | Richard P. Cantrell | 3,343 | 15.84 | |
Democratic | Mark Lindquist | 3,316 | 15.71 | |
Democratic | Jeffrey Coopersmith | 3,247 | 15.38 | |
Democratic | Don Moreland | 2,020 | 9.57 | |
Democratic | Chris Snell | 1,965 | 9.31 | |
Republican | Rudy Pantoja | 1,442 | 6.83 | |
Democratic | Cleve Stockmeyer | 850 | 4.03 | |
Total votes | 21,105 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mary Lou Dickerson | 38,704 | 74.53 | |
Republican | Rudy Pantoja | 11,358 | 21.87 | |
Natural Law | Bonita Carol Brett | 1,871 | 3.60 | |
Total votes | 51,933 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mary Lou Dickerson | 36,226 | 80.40 | |
Republican | Rudy Pantoja | 8,831 | 19.60 | |
Total votes | 45,057 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Teresa Mosqueda | 24,907 | 30.80 | |
Non-partisan | Jon Grant | 19,640 | 24.29 | |
Non-partisan | Sara E. Nelson | 18,704 | 23.13 | |
Non-partisan | Rudy Pantoja | 4,650 | 5.75 | |
Non-partisan | Charlene D. Strong | 4,191 | 5.18 | |
Non-partisan | Sheley Secrest | 3,864 | 4.78 | |
Non-partisan | Hisam Goueli | 2,548 | 3.15 | |
Non-partisan | Mac McGregor | 2,066 | 2.56 | |
Write-in | Write-in | 284 | 0.35 | |
Total votes | 80,854 | 100.0 |
References[]
- ^ a b Ralphie (25 April 2006). "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Rudy McCoy-Pantoja Jr". ourcampaigns.com. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Harms, Shane (2016-09-20). "Ballardite speaks out after 'Hugh Mungus' viral controversy | Westside Seattle". Westside Seattle. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3LDWHIcggs. BEFORE THE HUGH MUNGUS INCIDENT (original video). Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- ^ a b "H3 Podcast #18 - Hugh Mungus". H3 Podcast (via YouTube). Retrieved 4 August 2017.
...It's Mexican-American. My grandparents are from Mexico, and on my mom's side, we got the German and the Native American...
- ^ "Guy Says His Name Is "Hugh Mungus," BLM Activist Cries Sexual Harassment (Archive)". Heat Street. 2016-08-22. Archived from the original on 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2017-08-02.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- ^ "Candidate Profile: Rudy Pantoja Jr". Seattle Met. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ a b Person, Daniel (2017-06-15). "Race, Rents, and Burgess-Bashing Dominate Forum for City Council Position 8". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ "Hugh Mungus Facebook Meme Mocks 'Triggered' Woman". The Daily Dot. 7 September 2016.
- ^ "Immigrants Rally And Hold Boycotts Nationwide". Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ "Seahawks fan to exchange gifts with Wis. mayor". The Seattle Times. 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ Muhlstein, Julie (2016-05-03). "Hope Soldiers' goal: Help revive those saddled with addiction, depression". HeraldNet. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ a b "Seattle mayor, other leaders to talk with public about neighborhood crime". KOMO. 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ Kemp, Al (2020-08-06). "Create a real-life retreat by borrowing some vibes from the Animal Crossing game". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ "Hugh Mungus Fundraiser SHUT DOWN". YouTube. h3h3Productions. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
- ^ "Seven candidates file for Seattle City Council Position 8 race". CHS Capitol Hill Seattle. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ 40229Olympia, Contact Us Washington Secretary of StateElections Division520 Union Ave SEPO Box; Policy, WA 98504-0229902-4180 Privacy. "Election Search Results - Elections & Voting - WA Secretary of State". Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ 40229Olympia, Contact Us Washington Secretary of StateElections Division520 Union Ave SEPO Box; Policy, WA 98504-0229902-4180 Privacy. "Election Search Results - Elections & Voting - WA Secretary of State". Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ 40229Olympia, Contact Us Washington Secretary of StateElections Division520 Union Ave SEPO Box; Policy, WA 98504-0229902-4180 Privacy. "Election Search Results - Elections & Voting - WA Secretary of State". Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- ^ "2017 Results August primary election". Retrieved 2017-08-02.
- 1964 births
- Living people
- American gardeners
- American people of German descent
- American politicians of Mexican descent
- American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent
- Internet memes
- Politicians from Seattle
- Washington (state) Republicans