Hulk Hogan in Political Ads

Wednesday, July 5th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) â€” A political advertising campaign using wrestler Hulk Hogan to pitch a development project to the people of Clearwater has one major flaw: Hogan resides just outside the city limits and isn't eligible to vote in the referendum on the plan.

Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, tells viewers in the ads how the $300 million downtown revitalization plan, which faces a do-or-die referendum vote next Tuesday, would create 2,000 jobs and mean $3 million to schools.

``That's why I'm voting `yes' ... I hope you will, too,'' says Hogan, who has voted just once since registering in 1993.

It turns out Hogan lives about a block south of the Clearwater city limits, even though he says in the commercial, ``My family and I have made Clearwater our home for more than 12 years.''

Ed Armstrong, a lawyer and chairman of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the commercial was an honest mistake.

``We're taking responsibility for it, and we are going to pull it as soon as we can,'' Armstrong said. ``It's unfortunate, but it's also inconsequential. Where he resides isn't material to the issue.''