Residents of United States territory Guam may be getting a hardcore WoW raider as a Lt. Governor sometime soon, as level 80 Dwarven Shadow Priest Paleray – also known as Senator Ray Tenorio – has thrown his hat into the ring.
Way back in July of 2007, GamePolitics reported on a politician named Ray Tenorio, a senator in U.S. territory Guam’s 15-member unicameral legislature – and (at the time) level 70 Dwarf Priest in World of Warcraft. While the idea of people with actual lives being hardcore gamers is certainly nothing new, Tenorio may well be the highest-ranking public official who is out of the gaming closet.
According to a letter he wrote to GamePolitics, though, Tenorio has his sights set even higher: He and his friend and colleague Senator Eddie Baza Calvo are running for leadership of the Pacific Island territory as Lt. Governor and Governor, respectively.
Hafa Adai (Hello) Game Politics.com.
I hope everyone at GamePolitics.com are healthy and doing well. As most everyone in WoW are eyeing level 85 in the Cataclysm expansion, waiting to take down the Lich King and still grinding heroic Ulduar…
I wanted to let GamePolitics.com know first that I am running for Lt. Governor with my friend, Senator Eddie Baza Calvo, who is running for Governor…I want to let your readers know that, among the numerous web sites and related comments to the articles about my gaming life some years ago, I understand the issues faced by the people who write on GamePolitics.com.
Perhaps together, we can continue to let people, voters and those in positions of authority know that gamers are the same as those who do everything from clean public parks, fight and die for democracy, conduct intricate procedures in professional careers, and, Yes, even make policy…for our communities, everywhere around the globe. That simple fact is rarely said but is the basis for an even broader discussion on the depth and breadth of people who enjoy gaming and still carry out their responsibilities.
Tenorio’s character is Paleray, a Shadow Priest, max-skill Herbalist and Alchemist and member of the guild <Knights of the Marianas> on RP server Silver Hand (US). He’s also rocking some pretty hardcore gear, by the looks of it – lots of 25-man raid loot. So when Tenorio says hardcore, he means hardcore.
There are plenty of jokes to be made here, of course. After all, running a territory is a good excuse for skipping out on a raid, wouldn’t you say? When asked about his policy toward the health care debate raging in the US, Tenorio’s response was reportedly flippant: “Health Care? I’m a freakin’ Priest! Look, I’ll just cast Abolish Disease or even Resurrection if I need to, all right?”
In all seriousness, though, he has a perfect point that gamers like him – and like us – are perfectly capable of holding important, critical jobs in the world, and it’s high time that non-gamers recognize that. So, best of luck to Tenorio in the race (and in game). I mean, as long as the guy supports a hard-line stance against further Horde immigration, I have to support him.
