Hawaii- Libertarian Elyssa Young, who says she’s been “in the adult entertainment industry all of my life,” is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives against incumbent Democrat Neil Abercrombie and Republican Dalton Tanonaka.
Young’s most distinctive traits include having been in the adult entertainment industry, her fearless zero campaign funds, and a frank attitude. Even with such a unique background — especially among her running mates — the odds of the Libertarian candidate winning the seat in Washington, D.C. are extremely low.
Young, 35 and mother of two, explains on her campaign Web site that she has managed and danced at strip bars, posed for adult magazines, appeared on adult television networks, worked in massage parlors, owned an escort referral service, ran a small online news magazine, and trained as a midwife.
“I find it extremely intellectually stimulating,” said Young, who is also known as Erin O’Bryn in her adult endeavors.
“Let’s face it, I am an unlikely candidate. I fully admit that I am a courtesan (escort),” she says on her Web site.
Her recent jobs have received more attention than her candidacy, or what she proposes if she’s elected. News media outlets have falsely equated her job to prostitution, which Young denies. Young says she asks for gifts in exchange for her time, but she does not charge specific fees. That strategy has proven to be successful since Young has never been arrested or charged for prostitution during her 16 years in the adult entertainment industry.
Young told KITV4 reporter Keoki Kerr that, “Since children can sit on Santa Claus’ lap and ask for gifts, I can suggest a gift that I prefer.”
“The most common misconception is that I do what I do because I am incapable of — meaning not smart enough — to do anything else,”Young said on her Web site. “Nothing could be further from the truth. It is because I find few other things quite as intellectually stimulating that I choose my profession,”
Of her current job, Young said: “I find it one of the few honest professions out there, and honesty and integrity mean a lot to me.”
In addition, she said she is an independent businesswoman who has never and will never work for a pimp.
Young on Key Issues
Young’s campaign style has created a buzz in local and national media outlets.
Keoki Kerr reported that Young was handing out “Re-Defeat Bush” cards downtown, complete with condoms enclosed. The condoms were a shock to the public because they implied the promotion of casual sex, but Young said the point of the condoms was the political message stated on them: “Don’t get screwed again.”
As for Young’s position on key issues, she said she opposes the United States’ continued involvement in the Middle East. She wants to reduce the role of the federal government, privatize education, medical insurance and social welfare, and end the failed “war on drugs.”
On Young’s campaign Web site, she provides frank descriptions of her troubled background, which link to her stand on many issues.
On reproductive rights, she openly states that she has had an abortion and adds: “I do not regret my decision even though it was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I will forever support fully the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy.”
Young marched in support of abortion with millions of women in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.
On drug laws, Young confessed that she has battled with drugs and alcohol. “I have been down that road and will not deny it,” Young said.
Young said that she believes that it is not the government’s place to tell people what they can or can’t do to their body. And whether or not drugs are legal or illegal, people addicted to them will get drugs one way or another.
Young supports the decriminalization of drugs and the reallocation of funds spent paying for prisons and court cases to be given to the success of recovery programs.
On civil marriage, Young said she believes same-sex civil marriage should be respected and “laws must be equitable in order for them to be respected. The problem with the whole marriage issue is that we have confused civil marriage with religious marriage.”
“Figure this, I spent $0 on advertising or campaigning and got 444 votes in the primary election,” Young said.
“That may not compare to what Abercrombie or Tanonaka got in votes, but I didn’t waste your money to get them.” Although Young said that she received 444 votes in the primary election, according to the State of Hawai’i’s official Web site, she received 452 votes.
Young says the $732,530 spent by Abercrombie and the $117,515 spent by Tanonaka for their respective campaigns is “wasted” money. Whether or not the money spent by Young’s opponents was “wasted,” the number of votes that each candidate received in the primary elections was still substantially greater than the number Young received.
Incumbent Abercrombie received 73,934 votes in the primary or $9.91 per vote. Republican Tanonaka received 26,465 votes or $4.44 per vote.
While Young’s campaign funds are at a balance of zero, her opponents have raised substantial amounts for their campaigns. Abercrombie has raised $941,349 for his campaign and Tanonaka has raised $119,572, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Government’s Web site.
Realizing that she has no campaign donations or funds, Young says on her Web site, “It’s an accomplishment that I didn’t accept funds from shipping companies to get my name out there so your food prices are thousands of dollars higher each year. I didn’t throw lavish parties to celebrate with your donations. I just plain old got the job done. … I got on the ballot with the least possible waste.”
Others are skeptical of Young’s statements and views. “I don’t think that she is very intelligent,” said Joe Rocchio of Hawai’i Kai, who supports Abercrombie. “Even if she wasn’t a ‘prostitute,’ not many people would vote for her because she is not truly informed, not accurate with her claims, and basically makes very broad statements.”
On her Web site, she once misspelled Republican challenger Tanonaka’s name, calling him “Tanaka.” In addition, with the election only a week away, her Web site indicates that “coming soon” will be her stand on the Patriot Act, Hawaiian policy, Social Security, taxes, immigration, poverty and welfare, the Internet, freedom of speech, the environment and family budgets.
Elizabeth Galea, a broadcast journalism student said, “While I find the profession of prostitution as degrading of women and morally corrupt, I support Young because she seems like a strong, independent woman who is honest and willing to put herself out there for the public to see. There is no facade or fake appearance about her. What you see is what you get.”
Young’s attitude is reiterated in the bold-cased letters on her Web site’s homepage: “Let’s get less REAL boobs in office.”