The 28-year-old businessman/author and son of Hugh Hefner cites his concern for 'my community and our government' as the reason why he jumps into a political ring.
- Jul 15, 2020
AceShowbiz - Cooper Hefner, the son of the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, is eyeing a Senate seat. The 28-year-old, who has a colorful career background, announced on Monday, July 13 that he's launching an exploratory campaign to run as a Democrat for the California Senate in the state's 30th District, which includes Los Angeles County.
Speaking to CNN, the teacher/author said he's been considering engaging in politics for a long time and his next goal is driven by his concern about his community and the current government. "I am deeply concerned about my community and our government and believe that right now it's essential for new individuals to step forward and propose new ideas," he said.
Expressing his confidence in winning the race, Cooper added, "I would not be on this road if I did not feel strongly that there was an opportunity to win and as a result, make a difference."
Cooper is eyeing the 30th District state Senate seat held by Holly Mitchell, who is running for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. If she wins her election this November, Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for a special election in the first quarter of 2021. If she loses, then the election cycle won't open until 2022.
Explaining his call for public service, Cooper shared, "I really don't understand how you can wake up every day and see the challenges that we're facing in the world and not ask yourself what more you can do. I mean, this is certainly the time to figure out how to engage in solving the challenges our communities are facing."
Should he win the election, Cooper will use his platform to focus on the climate crisis and energy sustainability, leveraging technology to simplify government, addressing the homelessness crisis and delivering comprehensive police reform.
"It's important to recognize that the people who are calling for change were the ones who were already in office and had the power to do something different than they did," he stressed. "And we should ask ourselves whether we want those individuals representing us."
Cooper started working for Playboy Enterprises, Inc., which was founded by his father, when he was in college. He worked as chief of global partnerships and the chief creative officer for the company until he stepped down in April 2019 to launch a media brand, the Hefner Media Corporation, and a digital content platform called HefPost.
In December 2019, Cooper halted plans to start a media company and digital content platform, and chose instead to enlist in the United States Air Force. He was previously a member of the California State Military Reserve.
