Peace Activist to Run Again for City Council

Jerry Rubin, a Santa Monica resident who at the age of 60 legally changed his middle name to Peace Activist, has announced another bid for the City Council.

Rubin's name has appeared on the ballot at least five times since 2000.

Now 68, he said as a part of his campaign for the Nov. 6 election, he will seek more city-funding for arts and "peace-related community endeavors."

For the past several months, he has led the charge to crafted by Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist Paul Conrad. The city might remove the sculpture, called Chain Reaction, from the public art collection because of the hefty costs associated with restoring it.

In a statement announcing his candidacy, Rubin vowed not solicit any contributions to his campaign. "Instead [I'm] urging supporters, and even non-supporters, to donate funds to help save and restore the 26-foot tall 'Chain Reaction' nuclear mushroom cloud public art peace sculpture that has been standing in the since 1991," he said.

Four of seven seats—ones currently filled by Mayor Richard Bloom, Gleam Davis, Terry O'Day and Bobby Shriver—are up for grabs this November.

The filing period for Santa Monica residents to declare their City Council candidacy opens July 16 and closes Aug. 10. Frank Gruber, a longtime Santa Monica Lookout columnist and former Planning Commissioner,

Rubin said his name has been on the ballot "virtually every two-year election since 2000." Last year's campaign slogan was "Tan, Rested and Ready." This year's is "He's hoping for a 'Chain Reaction' of support."

The perennial City Council candidate regularly sets up a table on the , where he passes out progressive stickers; stages a yearly "Tree-Hugging Day" to celebrate the Santa Monica's nearly 34,000 trees; and leads The Activist Support Circle, a support group for "progressive activists helping to guard against activist burnout."

In the statement, Rubin anticipated fielding criticisms that he's not a serious candidate.

"I understand that criticism in a traditional political sense, but considers all [my] varied activist endeavors for the past 30-plus years to be very serious," he said.

Rubin lives in the Ocean Park neighborhood with his wife Marissa and their two cat "children" Sunny and Polly.

Stay up to date on Santa Monica news and events by following @StaMonicaPatch and “liking” us on Facebook.