Former ‘Halo’ Series Composer Martin O’Donnell Announces GOP Congress Run, Says He Supports Trump But Will “Work With” Any President Because “That’s What Voters Expect”
Spencer Baculi
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In a genuinely surprising but intriguing career turn, former Halo series composer Martin O’Donnell is trading in his manuscript paper for polling numbers ahead of an upcoming political run for Nevada’s seat in the United States House of Representatives.
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O’Donnell, who in addition to the iconic soundtracks heard in Bungie’s run of Halo games (Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo: Reach) also provided the music to the developer’s first Destiny title, announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress’ lower house on March 3rd by way of a lengthy post shared to his official Twitter account.
“I never wanted to be a politician and I still don’t,” began O’Donnell. “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 they’re ready for me to find something else to do.”
“I’m tired of seeing the leaders of our country being influenced by the toxic divisions that are tearing apart our families and society,” he admitted. “It’s time for me to step up and do my civic duty. To give back and try and change things for the better. If not me, who? If not now, when?”
“It’s easy to look at the economy and realize that something has gone horribly wrong,” said the Oni composer. “Working people, the middle class, and small businesses have been losing ground over the past 20 years. 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. Consider that since 2000 the cost of food has risen more than double the rise in average household income. 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.”
“And yet, who have we allowed to have the most influence over our government?” he then questioned. “Big corporate executives and big union bosses. Big tech, big pharma, big media, big whatever – all trying to control big government in Washington DC. This needs to stop. Our government spends money on the wrong things and spends way too much.”
“One thing the federal government should certainly be responsible for is the security of our borders,” O’Donnell said. “Instead, we see millions of people coming in without any accounting for who they are, what they intend to do, or what they’re bringing with them. And they’re being given access to all sorts of handouts at our expense. At a minimum, the federal government and the state governments should be working together to enforce existing laws and secure the border. Seeing our government at war with itself is unacceptable.”
“For my whole life, in every place I’ve ever lived, I’ve seen people working to provide for their family,” recalled the newly-minted politician. “Values like self-sacrifice, faith, integrity, fidelity, and valor are simply part of who these people are. They do these things not because the government tells them to, but because they know the right things to do – moral obligations that are freely chosen, not mandated by a government.”
“It doesn’t take a village to raise a child, it takes a family, and it takes families to make a village,” his announcement continued. “The sad reality is that many children in our country are suffering. Years of ridiculing and demeaning old fashioned “family values” have taken a toll. Our society’s strength, fundamentally linked to the vitality of the family structure, has been eroded. I want to champion the traditional family as critical for a child’s development and success. The data proves this. However, my approach will be inclusive, recognizing all who step up to provide for their children. I’m not worried about the government being a safety net. I want the government to stop being an impediment.”
Drawing his post to a close, O’Donnell ultimately declared, “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. We need bold leaders for such a time as this.”
Formally making clear his intent to run for office in a very ‘Boomer’ video – its presentation consisting of solid white text on a solid black background with very basic slideshow effects – attached to his tweet, the composer declared, “Our Country is going in the wrong direction. Toxic divisions are tearing our families and our society apart. I want to help bring sanity and civility to the public discussion and so today I’m announcing my candidacy as a republican to represent the 3rd congressional district in the state of Nevada. Less lawyers, more composers. Be Nice to the Goose [an old saying, as coined by O’Donnell himself, which refers to the notion that studio executives should ‘be nice’ to their devs because that’s where the ‘eggs’ come from].”
In light of the unexpected nature of his announcement, O’Donnell soon drew an interview request regarding his candidacy from Venture Beat‘s Dean Takahashi, which he not only accepted but used as an opportunity to expand upon his views.
Recalling the ‘spark’ that lit his political career, the musician told Takahashi that while “politics has always been a kind of hobby,” he was motivated to take it more seriously because “I just don’t really like the toxic divisions that are happening in our country.”
“I don’t like any of that stuff,” he said. “And I was sort of reaching out to some local people if there was some way I could help out. I got a bunch of calls from people who asked if I would consider running for Congress.”
His curiosity piqued by O’Donnell’s decision to run as a Republican, Takahashi then pressed his guest for his opinion of former President and current Republican prospective presidential candidate Donald Trump.
“America enjoyed a secure border and no inflation in the Trump administration four years ago,” the candidate asserted. “I have voted for President Trump twice and will vote for him a third time this fall. But no matter who is elected this November, if I have the privilege to serve, I plan to work with them. That’s what voters expect and that’s what I’ll do.”
As to why he chose to wear a Red hat over a Blue one, O’Donnell, who views himself more as a Federalist then anything else, admitted, “I’m a Boomer and I’m a conservative. But I have not been a big fan of politicians. So I have a hard time even saying that I’m Republican, but I don’t really like what the Democratic representative has been doing here. And so that’s why I’m running against them.”
Addressing his overall campaign platform, O’Donnell detailed, “One of the things that’s so depressing to me is when I watch TV or the news.”
“I start yelling at it all by myself,” he said. “Just the amount of toxic divisions that have happened in the last decade — I just don’t like it. We have disagreements on political issues. We agree on what games we like, or we agree on music, or we have common ground on a lot of stuff. We don’t have to demonize each other all the time.”
As for specific issues he considers a priority, O’Donnell noted that he wants to address the ever-growing shrinking of the middle class, economic stagnation, and the Southern border crisis.
“I don’t like what’s happening on the border,” he opined. “I look at the border and wonder how are these millions and millions of people coming in without us knowing who they are or where they’re going? That just doesn’t seem you should handle a country. Your country should have secure borders. And that doesn’t seem like a controversial thought to me. I really am watching state governments fighting the federal government over how to secure borders. It just seems like something’s got to change. That’s just silly. That’s horrible.”
“I’m a history buff, and I have principles that are conservative,” the composer then clarified. “But my issue right now is that I feel like there’s a crisis at the border. I don’t really think this is an issue for Democrats or Republicans. I think there’s enough blame to go around.”
And though he doesn’t have any political intentions for the video game industry or medium, O’Donnell made it clear that, in being consistent with his Federalist views, “I just think games are entertainment and federal government shouldn’t have much to say about entertainment.”
As of writing, O’Donnell’s campaign is in its early stages.
Those interested in following his political run and joining ‘Marty’s Army’ can do so via his official campaign website, Marty For Congress.
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