US State Representative Mark Warden has added a Bitcoin donation system to his campaign Website, marking the first use of the decentralised virtual currency system by a sitting incumbent politician.

Warden, who is running for re-election in Hillsborough County's District 39, sits on the far right wing of the Republican party, campaigning for limited constitutional government.



He says Bitcoin will allow online transactions that are not "subject to the inflationary whims of the Federal Reserve or other central banks".



The Bitcoin payment system has come under fire in US political circles for its radical outsider status and links to the online drugs market.



"This is a cutting-edge technology that is market based, voluntary, and extremely innovative," counters Warden. "I have constituents and vendors who prefer this medium of exchange, so it's natural to want to respond to the marketplace."



Last month the Obama presidential re-election campaign began using technology from start-up payvia to enable supporters to donate via text message, with the money charged to their carrier bills.