Ex-Red Sox pitcher Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee wants to be Vermont’s governor

BURLINGTON, Vt. – A former Major League Baseball player is running for governor in Vermont as a member of the Liberty Union party, which bills itself as nonviolent and socialist.

Bill “Spaceman” Lee tells WCAX-TV voters will “need umbrellas” if he’s elected because “it’s going to be raining dollars,” referring to money trickling down from the wealthy.

Lee pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 1969 to 1978. He was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2008.

Lee says he’s a “pragmatic, conservative, forward thinker.” He supports legalizing marijuana, a single-payer health care system and paid family leave.

Four other candidates – including a Google executive – are also running.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders first ran for office in Vermont – unsuccessfully – as a Liberty Union candidate.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Ex-Red Sox pitcher Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee wants to be Vermont’s governor."