Candidate looking for 'Planet B' will run for Congress again

The 2016 candidate who pledged to look for a new planet to live on says he is getting back in the race for Congress.

Dimitri Cherny, who was the Democratic nominee in South Carolina's 1st District last time around, is planning to run again in 2018, he said in an email to supporters.

"I'm using everything I learned in my previous two runs in 2014 and 2016 to implement, yet again, a very unusual campaign that I think can win," Cherny said.

Before he ran against GOP incumbent Mark Sanford as a Democrat in 2016, Cherny launched a 2014 write-in campaign in the coastal district, centered on Charleston.

In his last campaign, Cherny said he would introduce legislation to find "Planet B," a habitable planet that humanity can colonize in case an apocalyptic event ends life on Earth.

Cherny also garnered headlines by getting a tattoo of Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' face on his arm before the last election, which he lost to Sanford by more than 20 points.

Two other Democrats also have filed to run in the 1st District: Joe Cunningham and Toby Smith, both of Charleston. Sanford faces a Republican primary challenge from state Rep. Katie Arrington, R-Dorchester.

This story was originally published March 26, 2018 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Candidate looking for 'Planet B' will run for Congress again."