An American man who has been mistaken as Australian prime ministerial aspirant Peter Dutton said he is planning his first visit to Australia.
A 30-year-old popcorn businessman in Texas says he will not be changing his name after receiving a deluge of messages on social media from people mistaking him for the Australian politician who aspires to be Australia's next prime minister, Peter Dutton.
The self-described "30 yr old black man" was at first bewildered at the sudden influx of "harsh" tweets he was receiving from people in Australia beginning earlier this week.
In an attempt to decrease the volume of messages received, he posted a message on Twitter urging people to stop mistaking him for somebody else.
The American Peter Dutton. Source: Twitter/@PeterDutton5
Instead of stopping the messages, it has prompted invitations for the American to come visit Australia for the first time and run for the office of Australia's prime minister.
Others have conducted an informal poll to see which Peter Dutton social media users would prefer to see as Australia's prime minister.
The new viral superstar attracted 95 per cent of 1445 voters.
Those results have seen him being dubbed "The People's Prime Minister".
To that effort, the American Peter Dutton has launched a crowdfunding campaign to travel to Australia.
"It’s been an honor and privilege to hold my new title as a representative of the people," he said.
"The support you’ve shown our growing popcorn business, calling my wife the First Lady, and even loving our unborn daughter, is something I’ll cherish forever. But I don’t want it to stop here. Australia is a beautiful country that I’ve always hoped to visit."
He said while he was initially resistant to the idea of being dubbed an Australian, he has since come to embrace the idea.
Social media users were already grilling him to test his suitability for the role, seeking his views on detaining asylum seekers.
Interviewed on Australian television, the American Peter Dutton said he has no plans of changing his name.
"I am keeping the name. The people have embraced me. I am the people's prime minister, so Australia I will be there soon," he told Channel 7's Sunrise program.
'My family thinks it is hilarious'
The flurry of messages has kept the American Peter Dutton up into the early hours of the morning, getting him into strife with his wife.
"When it was first started happening, it picked up some last night. And my wife was trying to get to sleep.
"And she was like: Why are you still up scrambling around? And I said: You have no idea what is happening right now. The tweets won't stop."
His mother was also being contacted from Australia.
"They [my family] this it is hilarious," he said.
"My mother called me last night at about 3am our time and she was like: What's going on?
"And I said: I'm fine. And she said: Well, I got a call from Australia looking for you."
"I wish the people of Australia would look at my profile and realize I’m a 30 yr old black man before sending me tweets and DMs," he wrote.
He said he has already received offers from Australians happy to host him during any future visit to Australia.
The American Peter Dutton said he would like to meet with his Australian namesake on that visit.
"To the Peter Dutton of Australia, maybe we can share popcorn together?"
