Rupert Boneham

Rupert Boneham (born January 27, 1964) is an American mentor for troubled teens, who became known to reality television audiences in 2003 as a contestant on Survivor: Pearl Islands where he placed 8th. He later appeared on the All Stars, Heroes vs. Villains, and Blood vs. Water seasons of Survivor, placing 4th, 6th, and 20th respectively. He was ultimately a fan favorite among Survivor viewers, who voted him the million dollar winner on Survivor: America’s Tribal Council, a special episode of Survivor: All-Stars. The prize was awarded after a nationwide popular vote in which Boneham received 85% of the votes cast. He is only the second contestant in the history of the program to play the game four times, with the first being Rob Mariano.

RupertOn August 30, 2011, Boneham announced that he would consider running for governor of Indiana. He launched his campaign on October 22, declaring that he would seek the nomination of the Libertarian Party. He won their nomination and ran against Republican nominee Mike Pence and Democratic nominee John R. Gregg. Incumbent Republican Governor Mitch Daniels was term-limited.

Boneham wrote on his official website, “I have spent my entire adult life serving my community and I see an opportunity to make a difference for Indiana”, referencing his troubled-youth charity, Rupert’s Kids. “While surveying the current choices for our next Governor, I do not see anyone that has an understanding of what daily life is like for many Hoosiers nor anyone who appears to understand the harm that misguided government policies are doing to our communities. It is obvious that career politicians are not the answer because they are often the problem. I will be evaluating whether or not hardworking Hoosiers are ready for a new voice with new ideas.”