Richard Ford Rakoto (born June 26, 1981) is an American politician who is currently serving as the Dog Catcher of Los Angeles, California. He is the only Malagasy-American who holds public office in America. Rakoto is also a member of the Republican Party and is one of only a few Republicans holding office in California in 2026.
Early Life
Richard Rakoto was born on June 26, 1981, in Hartford, Connecticut. His parents, Jules and Antoinette Rakoto, were immigrants from the African island country of Madagascar who immigrated to America in 1976 and settled down in Connecticut. They named their only son after former presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
Growing up, Rakoto was raised into thinking of himself as an American. He never learned the Malagasy language nor has he ever visited the island of Madagascar. Rakoto graduated from high school in 1999 and attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, a small college town on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 2002. In 2004, Rakoto left Michigan and moved to Los Angeles County in Southern California.
Dog Cather of Los Angeles (2025-Present)
In 2024, Rakoto was elected the Dog Catcher of Los Angeles in a special election that occurred following the resignation of incumbent dog catcher Ted Lopez.
Rakoto was sworn in as the new dog catcher on January 13, 2025, becoming the first Malagasy American ever elected to public office. He is also one of a select few Republicans to hold public office in not just Los Angeles County, but ALL of California, which is one of the most liberal states in the United States.
Political Positions
Donald Trump
Rakoto is a supporter of President Donald Trump. He has often been described as MAGA by liberal news outlets such as CNN and ABC News. Rakoto has been a Republican since 2009, when he left the Democratic Party due to opposition to then-President Barack Obama.
McGrathia
Rakoto is a supporter of the country of McGrathia, which is an English-speaking city-state in North America along the Gulf of America. In February 2026, Rakoto was made an honorary citizen of McGrathia by President Joe McGrath. He is the only person to have been made an honorary McGrathian citizen as of March 2, 2026.
Personal Life
Rakoto currently lives in the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. He is currently unmarried, but has an unnamed domestic partner. Rakoto was raised as a Roman Catholic, but he converted to Methodism in 2015.