Mountain town elects dog mayor for life
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Mayor Max III, right, and his deputy hold court. Photo: Claire Trageser/Axios
In the small mountain town of Idyllwild, the local leadership is especially dogged.
The big picture: The town's mayor is a dog. Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller III, or Mayor Max, comes from a lineage of golden retrievers who have ruled since 2012.
Reality check: Idyllwild, which sits two hours outside San Diego with a population of around 4,000, is actually an unincorporated area of Riverside County and has no official local government.
The intrigue: You might think Mayor Max's story is full of "good boy" fluff and fun, but it goes much deeper than that.
- There's a bought election. A hidden illness. A dynasty of canines that has turned the town from doggy democracy to mongrel monarchy.
Catch up quick: In 2012, the nonprofit Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild held a fundraiser where locals could run their pets in an election for mayor.
- It cost $1 to vote and you could vote as many times as you wanted.
- Max's owner Phyllis Mueller spent $20,000 voting on her pup.
- He won in a landslide of 21,132 votes, beating 13 other dogs and two cats whose owners clearly didn't love them as much.
Behind the scenes: Taking a page out of "The West Wing," Mueller kept a secret from the public. Max had cancer, and passed away nine months into his term.
Yes, but: She had plans for more Maxes. She tracked down Max's bloodline and traveled to a breeder in Ohio to get as close to a Max replica as possible.
- She named him Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II. Long may he reign.
Election organizers allowed Max II to take over Max I's term, and then the crown passed to a third Max.
- Max III is now mayor for life, Mueller told Axios.
What they're saying: "Everybody in the community saw how much (Mueller) was doing with it, and people said if I enter, there's no way I can beat her, and if I win, I could not possibly do what she's done," Janice Murasko, director of operations for Animal Rescue Friends, told Axios. "So no one would run."
- The two cats who lost the first election could not be reached for comment.
State of puppy play: Max III's schedule is jam-packed with public appearances and private events.
- Most afternoons, he sits in the back of an SUV in downtown Idyllwild wearing a plaid tie and barking at his constituents.
- People can pay $1 to get a photo with Max and buy an assortment of merchandise, from stickers to keychains to T-shirts.
- Max also does private events from weddings to bachelor parties to birthday parties, plus ribbon cuttings, fundraisers and rotary events.
"For us, it's not about making money," Mueller told Axios.
- She said she just wants Max to spread joy and attract tourists to Idyllwild.
Friction point: "You can't get 100% consensus on anything, but I will say that Mayor Max's approval rating is high because he is nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and because we only do so many kind and loving things," she said.
- Except maybe to the cats.
Forget it, Max. It's Chinatown.