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Favorite Son? Levi Johnston Aims for Sarah Palin's Jobs (Mayor, Reality Star)

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The reality-TV-ization of the entire state of Alaska is continuing, as Sarah Palin’s former-almost-son-in-law and public sparring partner Levi Johnston is seeking to get his own show—by running for mayor of Wasilla, Palin’s former job, and a position, apparently, just two or three steps from the Presidency. (Or from big-time reality stardom: Sarah Palin’s Alaska debuts in November on TLC.)

Variety reports that Levi will run for office while being followed by cameras for a show still being pitched to networks, titled Loving Levi: The Road to the Mayor’s Office. The mayoralty isn’t actually up until 2012; until then, he may try for the city council.

It’s not entirely clear Johnston’s platform or qualifications for public office, beyond becoming an unwed dad and coming close to marrying Palin’s daughter Bristol more than once. But he has his stump speech as a candidate for reality stardom down:

“It’s hard to figure me out,” he said. “You’ve got to follow me around. I’m very different. I lead a crazy life. But it will basically be both worlds, my life in Hollywood and back home, the real country boy that I am.”

This is not an entirely unprecedented step for the embarrassing relations/associates of public political figures. In 1976, Billy Carter, the good-time brother of then-Presidential candidate Jimmy Carter, ran for mayor of Plains, Ga. He lost, and there was no one to offer him a reality show at the time. Oh, Billy, you were born too soon.