Although it’s been two weeks since Toronto’s mayoral by-election, former candidate Xiao Hua Gong remains in the headlines.
A T-shirt from Gong’s campaign is currently being auctioned off at a starting bid of over $4,000.
An eBay listing for Gong’s shirt reads, “Gong 4 Mayor!! VOTE #44 Original campaign t-shirt for the legendary candidate!”
The starting bid for the shirt is $4,444.44, an homage to him being the 44th candidate on the ballot out of 102 candidates.
And that’s just the starting price, the actual sale price is a whopping $24,444.44.
The simple T-shirt is blue with “Gong” written in bold yellow.
The seller, eBay user molly_858, wants people to remember and honour the candidate’s indescribable campaign.
“We saw the signs and loved them. We felt the energy all over the city that was painted blue and yellow,” the seller wrote in the item description.
“Immortalize the rescue Toronto vibes and an unforgettable campaign by the one and only Gong #44 with this official campaign t-shirt. Never forget #44! “He will surely be our mayor in 4 years’ time; get your hands on this classic while you can!,” they continued.
The shirt was posted just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday and so far, it has received zero bids. The bid closes shortly before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12.
Many believe the listing was created simply as a comical joke towards the controversial businessman who made headlines during the mayoral race.
READ MORE: Gong not gone yet: Toronto mayoral candidate requests recount after mayoral by-election
Gong made a lasting impression during the municipal election for his abundant amount of campaign signs that were sprawled across the city. Residents were met with Gong’s face on yards in various neighbourhoods, TTC bus ads, subway stations, and even on a digital billboard at Yonge-Dundas Square.
The 52-year-old Gong finished the race with a total of 2,983 votes, a percentage of 0.41 and in 11th place out of the 102 candidates.
However, Gong would go on to demand a recount after the city announced Olivia Chow was Toronto’s next mayor, despite losing by a 266,389 vote deficit.
Before his run for mayor, Gong was allegedly involved in several shady projects such as a pyramid scheme, money laundering and fraud investigations.
