By Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN.
(CNN) — Voters in the eastern Mexican city of Xalapa should be tired of voting for rats, one campaign slogan suggests.
The candidate behind it should know. He’s a cat.
The black and white feline named Morris has popped up on campaign posters and garnered a devoted social media following, with more than 100,000 likes on his Facebook page.
Morris’ name isn’t on the official ballot for the city’s July 7 mayoral election. But his supporters say his growing popularity shows widespread frustration with corrupt politicians — known as rats in local lingo.
The surreal tale of a cat campaigning first picked up steam with local media coverage, then quickly caught the eye of national and international media.
Now, Morris has a website featuring a slick campaign video telling his story — and a red and blue picture of the cat that looks like the well-known portrait of U.S. President Barack Obama that became popular during his 2008 campaign.
“Facing the quantity of rats that lurk in these posts,” the feline’s Facebook page says, “only a cat can bring order.”
His campaign platform? He “promises nothing more than the rest of the candidates: To rest and to frolic.”
CNNMexico.com contributed to this report.
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