Composer For Iconic Video Game Franchise Announces Republican Congressional Bid

Composer For Iconic Video Game Franchise Announces Republican Congressional Bid

Harold Hutchison on March 4, 2024

The composer for the hit video-game franchise “Halo” announced he was running to challenge Democratic Rep. Susie Lee of Nevada as a Republican.

Marty O’Donnell, who worked on multiple games for the iconic franchise, announced the run Sunday with a post on X and with a Monday release. O’Donnell cited the cost of living in his social media post.

“It’s easy to look at the economy and realize that something has gone horribly wrong. Working people, the middle class, and small businesses have been losing ground over the past 20 years,” O’Donnell posted. “The goose that lays the golden eggs for our country has been kicked around and squeezed to the point where laying more golden eggs is almost impossible.”

I never wanted to be a politician and I still don’t. I’ve had two successful careers and have started a few small businesses. I’ve also worked for some big corporations. I was ready to retire and spend more time with my family – which I’ve done for the past 3 years. I think… pic.twitter.com/qlqcmi63Z9

— Marty O’Donnell (@MartyTheElder) March 4, 2024

“Consider that since 2000 the cost of food has risen more than double the rise in average household income,” O’Donnell continued. “The cost of a home has risen 6 times and the amount of government spending 5 and a half times. The S&P 500 has gone up 9 times more than the rise in average household income. To everyone who works and is trying to do the right thing for their family, to everyone who is young and wonders why their lives are worse than their parents: you are not wrong.”

Lee won her first term in 2018, replacing then-Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, who won a Senate election against Republican Sen. Dean Heller, according to Ballotpedia. She won her latest term in 2022 with 52% of the vote against Republican challenger April Becker.

Prior to composing music for the “Halo” franchise, O’Donnell composed a number of commercial jingles and film scores, including for “Flintstone Kids” and “Mr. Clean,” according to his campaign website.

“I’m ready to go to DC and see if I can help bring back sanity and civility to the public discourse on these issues and all the other issues that face our great nation,” O’Donnell said. “We need bold leaders for such a time as this.”