Young Turks' Cenk Uygur Running For Katie Hill's Vacant House Seat

Cenk Uygur, the founder of the online news network The Young Turks, on Thursday announced his candidacy to fill the congressional seat vacated by Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) last month.

Uygur, who filed documents with the Federal Election Commission this week, said in an interview broadcast on the liberal network that he would not be a standard politician in his bid to fill Californias 25th Congressional District but rather hoped to represent people in a way that they have not seen before.

The whole point of my career has been to fight for positive change in the world, Uygur said. Thats what I have done on TYT and thats what Im going to do in CA-25. Im going to fight to end corruption and get everyone in CA-25 higher wages!

Im running for Congress to represent CA-25. If we fight together for this seat, it will be the Peoples seat. Fight with me by donating now https://t.co/D3n29zo3rt #cenk2020

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Im running for Congress to represent CA-25. If we fight together for this seat, it will be the Peoples seat. Fight with me by donating now https://t.co/D3n29zo3rt #cenk2020
Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) November 15, 2019

Uygur did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment and initially told reporters that he had no comment on his candidacy.

He said Thursday he would transfer editorial control and day-to-day operations of The Young Turks to others at the network but would continue hosting some programs.

Uygur immediately nabbed the endorsement of influential progressive congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat representing another part of California.

I respect the work Cenk has done to build a grassroots movement on TYT for supporting Medicare for All, for free public college, and for getting money out of politics, Khanna said. Congress needs bold progressives like him. Cenk has my endorsement for his candidacy.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a liberal group with a sizable email list, also spoke warmly of Uygurs candidacy and promised to informs its members he is running though the group stopped short of a formal endorsement.

Cenk is a bold progressive champion and long-time ally with an anti-corruption, pro-worker message that resonates with Democrats , Independents, and Republican voters alike, PCCC said Thursday in a statement. Cenk instinctively wants to shake up a corrupt political system by holding Democratic and Republican politicians accountable.