Cesar Chavez is running for a seat in Congress, but it's not the late workers rights icon. Instead, the candidate is a former Republican who is being criticized for using the reference to wrongfully drum up support.

"Our understanding is that he is a very conservative person, and so this is clearly an attempt to either confuse the electorate, or sneak by on a fluke," Bill Roe, Arizona Democratic Party chair, told Fox 10.

For a while, no one knew who Chavez was as he had no money, endorsements or paid campaign staff, and some even doubted his existence, The Arizona Republic reports. The candidate, who hopes to replace Rep. Ed Pastor of Arizona's 7th Congressional District, has been revealed to be born as Scott Michael Fistler.

"It's almost as simple as saying Elvis Presley is running for president," Chavez told the Republic. "... People want a name that they can feel comfortable with. If you went out there running for office and your name was Bernie Madoff, you'd probably be screwed."

Chavez is a 34-year-old military veteran and is currently unemployed. He legally changed his name in November of 2013, telling the judge that he "experienced many hardships because of his name" and paying $319, according to AZ Capitol Times. He has also switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.

If Chavez makes the ballot, he will go against five other candidates in the District 7 race, including three Democrats. Chavez reportedly thinks his biggest competitors are two Latino democrats, Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricopa County Supervisor, and Ruben Gallego, former state rep.

Wilcox told Capitol Times that she is not threatened by Chavez's new name.

"My husband and I grew up under the leadership of Cesar Chavez, and he means so much to our community," she said. "Voters aren't going to be fooled. If he thinks he can fool them, it's a real affront to the community. He should be ashamed."

The candidate formerly known as Fistler isn't the only one with ties to the famous Chavez. Wilcox marched with Chavez for farmworkers rights in the '70s, and Gallego is endorsed by Dolores Huerta, who helped Chavez found the National Farmworkers Association, the Republic reports.

Despite this tough competition, Chavez says he "will not accept any political endorsements."

In addition to a lack of funding, Chavez's campaign faces other obstacles. The Republic reports that he plagiarized his answer to their policy questionnaire and features copyrighted pictures on his official website. His political goals are also quite vague.

"I think I'll just show up there and act presentable," he said. "It'd be kind of like the first day of kindergarten."

In 2012, Chavez (then named Fistler) campaigned as a write-in for the 7th Congressional District and got 116 votes. In summer of 2013, he failed to get a seat on the Phoenix City Council.

"I feel right in everything I do. I never broke the law," Chavez said.
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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