By Tim Binnall
A self-described alien abductee who is running for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in Florida has picked up a pretty big endorsement from a major newspaper. Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera found herself in the spotlight of the national media late last year when it was revealed that she had given a pair of interviews back in 2009 in which she vividly detailed her experiences interacting with ETs. Despite being subjected to a fair amount of ridicule for her claims, Aguilera stayed in the race for Florida's 27th district House seat and recently received some strong support with the GOP primary election less than a week away.
Ironically, the very newspaper that broke the story about Aguilera's abduction tale, the Miami Herald, has now actually endorsed the candidate as their Republican pick in next week's election. In an article explaining their choice, editors addressed the proverbial 'alien in the room' head on by noting that the politician had previously told the newspaper "that she believes in extraterrestrials." It went on to share some of the 'highlights' of her story, such as her purported abduction at the age of seven and an alleged lifetime of communication with the ETs.
However, the Herald largely dismissed the issue with a terse "there you have it" and expressed agreement with Aguilera that her experiences are "a non-issue." Instead, the newspaper lauded her "working class agenda" and cited a number of civic matters, like improving the student loan system and programs to help curb homelessness, which the politician has championed during the campaign. Whether the Herald's backing will help Aguilera remains to be seen as a poll conducted in late June saw the candidate in fourth place with a mere 6.4 percentage points.