State Senate Candidate in Maine Exposed as WoW Player

**Wulfgang** · 2012-10-04 19:44

Didn't see this posted anywhere.

Article:
http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/in...h-hunt-6283586

Originally Posted by Article

Republicans out Democrat in 'World of Warcraft' witch hunt
Colleen

Colleen Lachowicz is a Democratic candidate running for State Senate in Main. She's also a level 85 Orc in the massively popular online game "World of Warcraft."

UPDATED - Colleen Lachowicz is a Democratic candidate running for State Senate in Maine. She's also a level 85 orc in the massively popular online game "World of Warcraft." And for that, the Republican party says she is unfit for office.

Maine's GOP has accused her of living a "bizarre double life" and set up a website meant to out Lachowicz's participation in the popular online game -- a game that currently boasts some 10 million players around the world.

Not only does the website show off a picture of the orc character she plays -- named Santiaga -- it also displays comments that have been dug up from online forums in which Lachowicz talks about her love of the (sometimes violent) game as well as her thoughts on various political topics.

Among the comments the website attributes to her:

"So I'm a level 68 orc rogue girl. I stab things . . . a lot. Who would have thought that a peace-lovin', social worker and democrat would enjoy that?!"

"I can kill stuff without going to jail. There are some days when this is more necessary than others."

"I'm so jealous! I wish I wasn't at work. I'd much rather be gaming with my guildies!"

She also appears to refer to members of the Tea Party as, well, teabaggers.

"In Colleen’s online fantasy world, she gets away with crude, vicious and violent comments like the ones below," reads the website. "Maine needs a State Senator that lives in the real world, not in Colleen’s fantasy world."
Colleen

Colleen Lachowicz

Meanwhile, Maine's Republican Party has also sent out a press release titled: "Democratic Senate Candidate Colleen Lachowicz's Disturbing Alter-Ego Revealed" which accuses her of living a "time-consuming double life." The party has also sent out post cards that, like the website, put her "World of Warcraft" character on display and highlight her online comments.

UPDATE: I reached out to Lachowicz, and she sent the following statement:

“I think it's weird that I'm being targeted for playing online games. Apparently I'm in good company since there are 183 million other Americans who also enjoy online games. What's next? Will I be ostracized for playing Angry Birds or Words with Friends? If so, guilty as charged!"

And she went on to state, "What's really weird is that the Republicans are going after my hobbies instead of talking about their record while they've been running Augusta for the last two years. Instead of talking about what they're doing for Maine people, they're making fun of me for playing video games. Did you know that more people over the age of 50 play video games than under the age of 18? As a gamer, I'm in good company with folks like Jodie Foster, Vin Diesel, Mike Myers, and Robin Williams. Maybe it's the Republican Party that is out of touch."

In fact, it doesn't seem Lachowicz was trying to keep her "WoW" playing a secret. This Daily Koz World of Warcraft guild link introduces her as a candidate and spreads the fundraising word on her behalf. It reads:

One of our original founding members, Colleen Lachowicz, better known in the guild as Santiaga or Ralista, is running for the Maine State Senate. Colleen is a long time political activist and advocate for kids and health care. Also her DPS is amazing. Mainers will be fortunate indeed if she wins to have her in there fighting for education, kids, health care, jobs and the 99% against the one of the absolute worst of the Tea Party Wing Nut Governors which were inflicted upon us all in the 2010 election patch.

Meanwhile, "World of Warcraft" players are coming to Lachowicz's defense.

"I don't know that I'd agree with her political stances or that I would vote for based on her policies," writes one poster in the "WoW" forums. "That's not what this is about. What I do know is that using the fact that she plays World of Warcraft against her in a political campaign is absurdly pathetic ... I think it makes the person using it as a negative look petty and desperate."

Link to website with quotes of her forum posts:
http://www.colleensworld.com/

**Rhinox** · 2012-10-04 19:47

oh god

**Correction** · 2012-10-04 19:50

**Anoat** · 2012-10-04 19:51

Is it really "exposing" it if she wasn't hiding it in the first place?

**Ksandra** · 2012-10-04 19:53

afk, flying to maine to vote for her out of spite.

**Dareus** · 2012-10-04 19:55

DPS=DEATHS PER SECOND! I love it

**Tajin** · 2012-10-04 19:56

Another case of "old fucks that run the place but cant be fucked to get-it" + "media networks stuck in the ice age" ?

P.S. With a dash of "try anything to get people to vote for me" of course.

**Tyrath** · 2012-10-04 19:58

lol'd @ Deaths per second.

**Skjie** · 2012-10-04 21:18

You would think that playing wow would be a positive in the Democrat camp.

**Lucavi** · 2012-10-04 21:42

Deaths per second, guys.

Deaths per second.

That's a lot of deaths.

**Furionstormrage** · 2012-10-04 21:46

She's got my vote, if I lived in Maine.

**Amiricle** · 2012-10-04 22:33

Wow, talk about being rediculously out of touch. If anything, this 'smear' campaign is only going to get her more votes lol

**Vinto** · 2012-10-04 22:43

I just noticed they added the "deaths per second" line and not her, the original post being on http://www.colleensworld.com/

**Stromgarde** · 2012-10-04 22:48

Square brackets are usually used for clarification of context containing words not in the original text. In this case, it serves the purpose of self-embarrassment.

**Cantih** · 2012-10-04 23:02

Originally Posted by Zealot

Oh no, my FFXI history will surely come back to haunt me.

And I was a Warrior! My DPS was insane!

"President Pratt, is it true you merited Warcry?!"

**Xajii** · 2012-10-04 23:54

Originally Posted by Cantih

"President Pratt, is it true you merited Warcry?!"

lmao

**Kanriel** · 2012-10-05 00:02

Originally Posted by Zealot

Oh no, my FFXI history will surely come back to haunt me.

And I was a Warrior! My DPS was insane!

I think we're going to see this issue more and more as the internet generation starts getting more involved in public office and the sort. I'd bet average BG age is in the mid/upper 20's, another decade and all the new people entering office will have all sorts of message board posts from their stupid teenage years to haunt them during campaigns...lol...

**Mazmaz** · 2012-10-05 00:46

I think this'll work against her tbh. Gamers are still widely regarded as losers back in the real world. Sure, we here sympathize, but eh.

**Apelila** · 2012-10-05 01:04

Originally Posted by Cantih

"President Pratt, is it true you merited Warcry?!"

God explaining that joke to anyone who never played the game......

**thetruepandagod** · 2012-10-05 01:18

Originally Posted by Cantih

"President Pratt, is it true you merited Warcry?!"

Best thing i have ever read....

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