Candidate has 11-foot-tall running mate

SANDUSKY — A 2020 U.S. presidential candidate made a surprise stop in Sandusky to tell people about his grassroots campaign.Kasey Wells also brought his running mate, doubling as a conversation starter, with him: an 11-foot-tall scrap metal elephant symbolizing his main platforms.Wells, who's running as an independent write-in candidate, is traveling across the Midwest stumping for support. His car lugs the massive elephant, created by Kyle Riley, an artist from Chicago.After crisscrossing his home state of Illinois, Wells rode through Indiana and Michigan before arriving in Ohio earlier this week. While in Sandusky, he visited Cedar Point and 4 Points Bar."Everyone has been nice here," Wells said, referring to the city and its residents he encountered.Wells explained why he's not aligning with a political party, such as Democrats or Republicans, in his commander-in-chief bid."To be on the ballot, you have to get about 1 million signatures, and then you also have to win a party nomination," Wells said. "I'm not interested in winning a party nomination. I'm not interested in pay-to-play politics. I'm not asking for people's money. I'm asking for people's votes."He's quite the underdog. As of Friday, 919 people — including incumbent Donald Trump and well-known challengers Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — have officially signed up to run for president, Federal Election Commission records indicate.But Wells believes in himself because of his message.The elephant, built around an old Standard Oil farm fuel tank, with various tools and other metals attached to it for decoration purposes, plays a pivotal role in spreading his message."It represents the 'elephant in the room,'" Wells said. "There are certain topics that I don't hear any politician talking about, but there are things that have strong influence over our political and economic system. It doesn't get mentioned."U.S. presidential candidate Kasey Wells and his 11-foot-tall elephant made a stop in Sandusky on Thursday night. Phrases and visuals on the elephant symbolize platforms Wells support, support, which include equality and balance.Wells, who stresses income inequality reform as a top campaign priority, provided an explanation.Several multinational oil and gas corporations, like BP, Chevron and ExxonMobil, are etched somewhere on the elephant. Those companies and others were subsidiaries of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, the largest monopoly in U.S. history.While Standard Oil dissolved, these too-powerful corporations still exist and manipulate others to benefit only themselves and not the greater good, Wells said."I'm against people who have used their wealth gained from these oil companies who have founded philanthropies that give conditional grants and distribute pamphlets that get sent out to economic development councils that inform public policy," Wells said. "That's the 'elephant in the room.'"During his campaign stops, Wells emphasized these points and others, which all center on equality and balance."I want to narrow the gap between the rich and poor," Wells said. "I believe public input should inform public policy. Private interest groups should not have the ability to control public policy."U.S. presidential candidate Kasey Wells and his 11-foot-tall elephant made a stop in Sandusky on Thursday night. Phrases and visuals on the elephant symbolize platforms Wells support, which include equality and balanceReach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.