Editor’s Note: We have corrected Joe Exotic’s party affiliation when he ran in the 2016 presidential election. We regret the error.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The “Tiger King” says he’ll be running for president in 2024 as a Democrat.
Joseph Maldonado, perhaps better known to “Tiger King” viewers as Joe Exotic, announced his presidential bid in March.
Though he is serving time in federal prison, Maldonado says he’s not going to let that stop him from running for the nation’s top office.
This is not the first time Maldonado has launched a bid for the presidency. He ran in 2016 as an independent candidate. He also ran for Oklahoma governor as a Libertarian in 2018.
Now, Maldonado says he’s filing his 2024 presidential campaign with the Democratic Party.
“I’m joining the Democrats to fight like hell for every child in America. Their future won’t be destroyed by endless laws and the shadow of violence,” reads a post shared to the official Joe Exotic Twitter account. “It’s time for a g—— revolution, and I’m leading the charge!”
Maldonado’s campaign is advocating for “responsible gun regulation,” reproductive rights, mental health and criminal justice reform.
“Unrelenting in his quest for accountability, Joe Exotic seeks to expose deep-rooted corruption within the Department of Justice and fiercely advocate for innocent Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in federal penitentiaries,” reads a campaign statement.
Maldonado, who was the subject of the 2020 Netflix series “Tiger King,” is serving a 21-year federal sentence after being convicted on multiple charges, including a murder-for-hire plot against wildlife park rival Carole Baskin, as well as violations of the Endangered Species Act.
Netflix’s “Tiger King” spent much of its time focusing on the feud between Baskin and Maldonado, which included accusations by him that Baskin was behind the disappearance of her ex-husband Don Lewis. Baskin has denied that.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.