A Florida man who recently went viral for bearing an uncanny resemblance to Jeffrey Epstein is back in the news.
And it could shake up a major political race happening in Donald Trump’s backyard.
Peter Simel, who went viral earlier this year as “Palm Beach Pete” over his twin-like appearance to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, says he is now “seriously considering” a run for mayor of Palm Beach — with a platform centered around “living your best life.”
JUST IN: Jeffery Epstein “lookalike” Palm Beach Pete running for Mayor of Palm Beach. pic.twitter.com/IGGusSkJLw
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) May 27, 2026
Palm Beach is, of course, home to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
“We’re seriously considering, and it’s a movement,” Simel said.
“We want to make Palm Beach really cool and great.”
Simel’s unintended internet fame exploded almost overnight after a video of him driving a convertible along Interstate 95 in South Florida spread online earlier this year, with stunned social media users believing he looked eerily similar to Epstein.
Simel’s viral debut video shows a grey-haired man who looks like Epstein in sunglasses and a backward white cap behind the wheel. Within hours, it had bounced across X, TikTok, and Instagram, racking up millions of views and touching off a wave of conspiracy theories that Epstein was somehow still alive.
Take a look –
OH MY GOSH: A man that looks exactly like Jeffrey Epstein was spotted in South Florida recently.
This is freaky! pic.twitter.com/ChWVQTt0dN
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) March 14, 2026
Simel, 71, is a former International Tennis Federation (ITF) Masters competitor.
During a recent interview, Simel repeatedly emphasized wellness, fitness and enjoying the Palm Beach lifestyle as central themes of his campaign platform.
“I’m still realizing how big it is,” Simel said of his viral fame.
“I guess the best litmus test is when people come up to me in the street [saying], ‘Palm Beach Pete, we love you, you’re the GOAT, you’re a legend.’”
Simel now appears to be transforming that momentum into a campaign-like movement complete with merchandise, slogans and a series of playful policy proposals.
Simel’s website includes campaign hats and proposals such as “Free Botox for All Palm Beach Residents,” and “Free Convertible Use for 1 Year,” expanded pickleball courts and a proposal to import New York City water for “better pizzas & bagels.”
“Everyone on the island of Palm Beach gets the use of a convertible for a year and see how they enjoy it because it’s all about living your best life,” Simel said.
Simel also proposed free drinks at Palm Beach’s iconic clock tower, dog-walking services and “fitness trainer[s] for life so you can live longer and pay taxes longer.”
“And then the funny one at the end,” he added, “is everyone gets free mother-in-law therapy.”
Asked how he planned to fund proposals ranging from free Botox to imported New York water, Simel repeatedly emphasized that the campaign would be “self-funded.”
“I’m self-funding it,” he said.
Simel insisted he is genuinely considering entering the race.
“I’m seriously considering throwing my hat into the ring,” he said.
“You can’t qualify until 2027 so we’re just doing our due diligence.”
Simel said that he does not view the effort as a traditional political campaign.
“I’m not affiliated with any political party,” he said. “I just want to keep the people together and bring people together and keep it as a great community.”
“In this day and time, and we have so much division and such uncertainty in the world, it’s kind of nice to have someone on a platform enjoying the benefits of living a good life and making the most out of what Palm Beach can be,” he said.
Palm Beach County election records reviewed by Fox News this week did not show any officially qualified mayoral candidates, citing the aforementioned statute that candidates cannot formally qualify for the race until 2027.
Current Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore’s office did not comment regarding Simel’s announcement.