American Gadfly

In 2019, a group of ambitious teens hatched a perfect scheme, one in which they would awaken former Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel from his political slumber and encourage him to run for president in 2020. He would not be running to win, but to raise awareness — a true gadfly by definition, a nuisance, a provocative and persistent stimulus. Described as a Bernie, who’s more Bernie than Bernie, Gravel is an eccentric politician who stays true to himself to a fault — a Forrest Gump with civic duties who shows up at just the right time. With an agenda to end forever wars, address the climate crisis and grant Medicare for all, Gravel and the teens forge toward direct democracy by tweeting themselves toward the democratic debate stage, laser beam memes and all.

Colorado Premiere