Jimmy McMillan might be on to something: a real estate research firm has noticed that more New Yorkers are trying to buy apartments -- because the rent is too damn high.

As it turns out, the perfect storm of inflated rents and low interest rates has pushed would-be renters into the market, according to DNAinfo.

Many home-seekers have complained that their rents have ballooned anywhere from 10 to 20 percent, so they see purchasing as the only economic option.

More »

Did you know that Jimmy McMillan, of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, has an IRL political rival?

Enter Vermin Supreme, the "friendly fascist" with a boot-hat, whose platform pretty much amounts to "ponies, fuck yeah!" and zombie-preparedness.

McMillan and Supreme will duke it out at 8:30 this evening in the Groundhog Day Presidential Debate, an online forum where viewers can appear onscreen and ask questions, accessible here.

Michael Knowles, who used to be the youth co-chair for Jon Huntsman's belly-up campaign, organized the meeting, and bills it as the "showdown of the century." (Obvs.)

"They're debating these important issues," Knowles, who heads Yale's Republican group, tells Runnin' Scared. "Should people get a free pony or get low rent?"

So in the spirit of political fairness, Runnin' Scared tracked down Vermin Supreme, who was hot on the campaign trail. The Baltimore native and Massachusetts resident says he got into politics because he "had nothing better to do." (Hey, there's something to be said for honesty.) He chats with us about his grand plans to rescue the nation from decline, but he's still not sure if his presidential run is an actual presidential run.

More »

Jimmy McMillan, of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, has decided not only to campaign against growing housing costs, but also against New York's very own Board of Elections. McMillan, probably our fave meme-making pol with leather gloves and a handlebar mustache, is demanding a recount of the 41,000 votes for his 2010 failed gubernatorial bid. But it's not just a vanity thing, McMillan tells Runnin' Scared. He needs to prove that he got 50,000 votes so that Rent Is Too Damn High gets official political party status -- and so that he can get his name on the ballot for the presidential election.

Of course McMillan plans on running against Barack Obama in November. McMillan, who refers to himself as "Daddy," chatted with us about his platform (the rent is still too damn high, Obama ruined everything).

More »

Heir to Reagan

Jimmy McMillan of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, and his facial hair, will be joining forces with the GOP. PBS caught up with McMillan on St. Mark's and discussed his move. He was a hit at CPAC recently, and said he registered to be a Republican because "the Democratic Party sucked." Who said two-party politics isn't fun?

More »