Progressive congressional candidate proudly smokes pot in new campaign ad

Benjamin Thomas Wolf, 42, grew up in Kent, Ohio. Wolf plans to take his values to the House of Representatives: He is running for congress in Illinois’s 5th District — Chicago. In his latest campaign ad, Wolf made sure everyone knew the kind of reform he would bring to the table on the terms of Marijuana.

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Wolf will campaign against Rep. Mike Quigley (D), 58, this year and through the Illinois primary in March 2018. Quigley has been in the seat since April 2009 and his election to congress was an opportunity to take his reform-minded politics to Washington, per his website.

Wolf’s views include universal health care for everyone, free tuition and loan repayment and marijuana legalization. With these ideals, he wants to make changes he said he believes the people of Chicago are looking for. A photograph Wolf released Monday features him sitting in front of an American flag painting. Above him, smoke rises from the joint he presumably just puffed on.

It’s a striking ad that’s not out of place for him. He took a stance for banning access to assault rifles with a video ad in which he sat in his apartment holding an AR-15. Quigley also supports reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban and expanding background checks. As for the joint, he claimed it as his with no shame, speaking to the Chicago Sun Times he said:

“That’s mine, we had a poker night with our campaign staff and I think that was left behind.”

After working for the bureau, Wolf became an executive advisor and earned a commission in the Foreign Service while working in the U.S. Department of State. Later, Wolf volunteered and served the country in multiple other forms.

Wolf said one of the reasons he is running for congress is because he believes it is time for his generation to have a say in Washington. Many of the people who are working for the House of Representatives are significantly older than him, and he said it is important to have representatives who share similar interest with the majority of the U.S. population.

RELATED: East Chicago police drug bust rakes in 219 lbs. of marijuana

Wolf’s push for legalizing marijuana includes the proposal to spend all the state revenue on public education and drug rehabilitation centers, as well as pardoning all those incarcerated for marijuana-related offenses. In November, Illinoisans could be asked whether they support legalizing recreational marijuana in a referendum.

“I am a strong candidate. I have a strong background,” Wolf said. “My professionalism, my experience (and) my education are all top-tier, which again make me a strong candidate for the United States Congress.”

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