With shades of the 135-candidate gubernatorial (recall) election of 2003 (which featured a porn star, Gary Coleman and Angelyne), the race for California governor this year is not without its characters. Chief among them is Douglas Hughes.

One of the Orange County Republican's main campaign promises is to turn Santa Rosa Island off Santa Barbara into “Pedophile Island” where convicted molesters would be housed. Not only that, but they'd be charged with building infrastructure and creating civil society. They'd even write their own constitution. (Yeah, great. We can hear them now: “We the perverts”). “Let's get these sick pedophiles out of our neighborhoods for good,” he states on his site.

Hughes argues that pedophiles released from prison end up back in neighborhoods where they'll strike again. So, he says, put them on the island instead. In fact, under his plan, pedophiles would have to either leave California, stay in prison or go to the island upon their release.

Hughes, who describes himself as a retired businessman from Fountain Valley, has other unorthodox views: He would implement a green card points reward system for immigrants, build “triple fencing” at the Mexican border, and have the state sell drugs to addicts at half price. (Don't ask us — it's his platform).

Hughes thought the whole “Pedophile Island” idea through, sort of. We're thinking the first thing this society of sexual deviants would do is establish an internet connection and create an account with Dell. Second? The pervs would try to procure their own Hervé Villechaize to point out high-flying traffic.

“As governor I will introduce legislation to impose mandatory expulsion of convicted pedophiles from the State of California as a condition of release from prison,” Hughes states.

“Most say pedophiles cannot be treated or cured and for that reason I will put them on the 'Island,' a place where a male sexual offender may choose to live out his life away from children,” he writes. “Santa Rosa Island is the island that will be used as a 'Pedophile Island.'”

One question for you, Mr. Hughes: Pedophiles can't swim?

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