Summer is coming to a close, and though it’s been thoroughly fulfilling, the season has felt rather meaningless without frequent updates on Hank, the Maine Coon running for Virginia Senate. He brightened up our dreary spring with his fresh ideas and feisty spirit, so we’re elated he’s coming back strong with an upcoming event. The cat, who is the official mascot for a team playing in the Congressional Softball League and has already raised more than $10,000 for animal resuce, will appear at the playoff game on Saturday at Beulah Park in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Hank for Senate campaign inspired many laughs when the 9-year-old Maine Coon’s political aspirations hit news wires a few months ago, but the fierce feline is still going strong in the race and will be hosting a major campaign event Saturday.

We’ve had more fun than pseudo-adults should with the Hank for Senate cat campaign story, but the feline’s movement has contributed more than just humor to the political discussion.

If you’ve ever felt inadequate because YouTube sensation Boo the Pomeranian is more famous than you’ll ever be, rest assured knowing you’re probably in the same boat as Tim Kaine, who has fewer Facebook fans than Senate seat rival Hank the cat.

Some say cats have it easy, but that’s not the case for Hank, the 9-year-old feline who is running for Senate.

The male Maine Coon, who is competing against former Virginia governors George Allen and Tim Kaine, was the subject of his first attack ad yesterday when a YouTube user posted a video titled, “Hank for Senate? No Way” on the site.

Cats have nine lives, and maybe that’s partly why 9-year-old feline Hank from Virginia believes he would make a strong, reliable political figure.

The Maine Coon, who resides in Virginia with campaign manager/owner Matthew O’Leary and O’Leary’s partner Anthony Roberts, has just begun his campaign for state Senate. Though O’Leary told The Jane Dough that the campaign is a “joke” and merely meant to show the declining quality of some of our leadership, Hank’s official website shares details on the animal’s underdog (or shall we say, “undercat”?) story.