WASHINGTON, Mov 7 — It could be a coincidence — but it was an eerie reminder of how the death of a rescued squirrel could actually have influenced the results of the US presidential election.

Moments before Vice-President Kamala Harris was set to make her concession speech at Howard University following Donald Trump’s win, a squirrel was spotted dashing across the stage.

It was enough to have many on social media to claim (albeit jokingly) that it was the ghost of Internet-famous, Peanut.

Comments ranged from “The ghost of Peanut making a victory lap” to “The Spirit of PNut lives on!”’'

Who is Peanut (also spelt P’Nut of PNUT)

Peanut’s conservative owner, Mark Longo had told the New York Post, that he took in Peanut seven years earlier as an orphaned kit (baby squirrel) after its mother was hit by a car and raised the small, charming rodent.

The squirrel quickly became an Internet sensation — though his often shirtless OnlyFans model owner was obviously the one cashing in on the stardom.

Despite the popular TikTok account belonging to “Peanut the Squirrel,” it was a booster to Longo’s OnlyFans account, “Squirrel Daddy” that cashed in on the duo’s fame (though the more adult selection of videos did not involve Peanut).

So what happened?

Multiple anonymous complaints brought at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to the Pine City home of 34-year-old Longo.

State law prohibits the ownership of wild animals as household pets.

DEC agents seized Peanut as well as Fred the racoon which was also in Longo’s care.

Peanut was said to have bitten a person involved in the investigation, leading to both of the animals euthanised and tested for rabies.

Longo and wife, Daniela, took to social media to vent, protesting the use of American tax dollars spent to kill their beloved pets.

What does this have to do with the US presidential election?

Stay with us.

The Republican campaign quickly latched on to the issue in the final days of the presidential race with now Vice-Presidential elect JD Vance taking to the podium during a campaign in Sanford, North Carolina last Sunday, telling supporters that Trump was “fired up” about Peanut’s death.

“The same government that doesn't care about hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant criminals coming into our country, doesn’t want us to have pets. It's the craziest thing.”

Dozens of other Republican figures followed saying that Peanut’s untimely death was a result of government overreach.

New York congressman Nick Langworth expressed his frustration on social media condemning Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, for her “misguided priorities” .

“In New York State, we have sanctuaries for illegal immigrants while innocent pets are killed”.

Even X head honcho Elon Musk got in on the act with a picture of Peanut, claiming “Government overreach kidnapped an orphaned squirrel and executed him”.

Peanut's death was then tied to the infamous and unfounded conspiracy theory perpetuated by Trump during the presidential debate in September — that Haitian immigrants were eating their neighbors' pets in Springfield, Ohio.

You mean Peanut and Fred became right wing martrys?

Apparently so.

An official Trump campaign TikTok account posted a slideshow to their feed this past Sunday, which said: “RIP Peanut. Needlessly murdered by Democrat Bureaucrats in New York. We will avenge you on Tuesday at the ballot box”.

In the final days before the election, AI generated memes of Trump, Peanut and Fred were circulated with the same sentiment.

AI generated images were the order of the day, roping in Peanut and Fred for the MAGA campaign. — Picture from X/robbystarbuck
AI generated images were the order of the day, roping in Peanut and Fred for the MAGA campaign. — Picture from X/robbystarbuck

Did Peanut and Fred have any impact on the election? Who knows. Considering many Americans were surprised to find out Joe Biden's name wasn't on the ballot despite dropping out in July — it’s hard to say what the would actually be swayed by the campaign strategy.