Smithereens Founder To Run For U.S. Senate Seat

Smithereens frontman Pat DiNizio has announced plans to run for a position in the U.S. Senate for the state of New Jersey. DiNizio will run as a candidate for the Reform Party, according to a press release.

"With a firm belief that America is indeed the greatest country in the world, DiNizio has set his sights on a different level of success," reads the prepared statement released this week. "Centered on the idea of supporting the American Family and giving power back to people where he feels it belongs, he hopes to make America an even better place to live and to raise our children."

The Reform Party is the same group on whose ticket billionaire Ross Perot ran for the Presidency of the U.S., and on whose ticket conservative politician Pat Buchanan hopes to do the same.

DiNizio plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday (7/25) to officially announce his candidacy.

DiNizio and the Smithereens broke into the alt-rock music scene in the late '80s, and are probably best known for the hit singles "Only a Memory" from 1988's "Green Thoughts" and "A Girl Like You" from 1990's "11." The latter song helped push "11" to sales of over half-a-million copies, making it the most successful disc in the band's catalog.