Finish Him!! Mortal Kombat's Sonya Blade Running For Suburban Chicago Political Office

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 15, 2012 3:30PM



Kerri Branson today (left) and as Mortal Kombat's Sonya Blade in the mid-90s. (Photos courtesy Kerri Branson.)

It takes a lot for a candidate to stand out in an election race, especially in Illinois where we have candidates like “Angry Too Much Coffee Man” Joe Walsh trying to retain his congressional seat. One woman running for political office in the Chicago suburbs is embracing her past as a video game siren.

Kerri Branson is running for political office in Kane County’s 18th District. For voters who grew up playing Mortal Kombat in the mid-90s, Branson may be best known for portraying Sonya Blade, one of the game’s main heroes. Branson began playing Blade in Mortal Kombat III and reprised the role through a live tour based on the game.

Branson’s portrayal of Blade was the highlight of a nine-year modeling career that included lingerie, swimsuit and nude modeling. She quit in 1997 to tend to twin sons born with cerebral palsy and, as news spread about her political aspirations, she didn’t run away from her past. Branson told the Daily Herald:

“I don’t regret my past,” Branson said. “My past has gotten me where I am today and because of that I think I’m a stronger person and I’m very capable to take this (county) position.” --snip— “I am who I am, I’m not going to change for everybody,” said Branson, who is new to politics. “If they don’t like my past and they don’t agree with it and they don’t like where I am today ... don’t vote for me.”

Branson’s opponent in the November election, Drew Frasz, doesn’t think her modeling past will fly with conservatives in Kane County and admitted that if he wanted to use it against her—particularly the nude pictorials—he would.

Branson has chosen transparency in government, health and education, and farmland preservation and agricultural conservation as her main campaign issues.