Celebrities running for public office is not a new phenomenon or exclusive to the Republican or Democrat party. Since Donald Trump’s presidency, there has been a clear rise in celebrity and celebrity-adjacent attempts to enter politics. Former American Idol star Clay Aiken has recently joined this class of political hopefuls as a Democratic candidate running for North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, with similarly little policy or government experience.
This will not be Aiken’s first attempt at representing North Carolina in Congress as a Democrat. In the 2014 race for the 2nd congressional district, Aiken was able to win the democratic primary But just like in his season of American Idol — Aiken was runner-up in the general election.
In his 2014 campaign and 2022 campaign, Aiken’s platform and political brand has stayed pretty consistent. His narrative for the political stage emphasizes his love for North Carolina and the Democratic party, especially the Democratic party as a big tent for everyone and every issue. He’s also proud of the possibility of becoming the South’s first gay congressman. When it comes to more definitive policy stances, however, Aiken’s website and interviews are lacking. As of Jan. 25, his website only includes a two paragraph introduction, biography and a button to donate.
Many of the same criticisms used by liberals against conservative celebrity candidates like Donald Trump or Senate candidate Mehmet Oz, better known as Dr. Oz, can be launched against Aiken. Unlike the previously mentioned candidates, what information we do have of Aiken’s politics is inoffensive, but they are substantive. He is using his recognizable name as a launching pad for a political career without a firm foundation for voters to form opinions from. Aiken’s lack of concrete plans will make eventual issue-flip flopping inevitable, just as he did with his opinions on Trump as a former Celebrity Apprentice contestant.
North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District was represented for many years by Democratic congressman David Price, who will not be seeking reelection for his seat. Under the new voting maps created by Republicans in the North Carolina general assembly, the district has transformed. The seat is now one of only three Democrat-leaning seats in the state, down from the five Democrat seats on the previous map. The new congressional map is gerrymandered and currently being fought over in court, but the appeals process is lengthy and may not be completed by the time the race for the 6th District is in motion. Because of this, Democratic voters must be very careful with who they choose to represent the limited seats they can realistically win.
The pool of Democratic candidates for the 6th District is already overflowing. The pool includes: State senators Wiley Nickels and Valerie Foushee; former state senator Floyd McKissick Jr.; and Nida Allam, the first Muslim woman ever elected to public office in North Carolina as representative on the Durham County Board of Commissioners. These are candidates with a track record and experience dealing with what it is like to make policy. While the state and local politics are different from governing at the federal level, these candidates have skills that will translate to a position on Capital Hill.
Aiken seems like a perfectly fine person who is passionate about his state and politics, but media attention on his candidacy should stay limited until he comes out with concrete positions for his campaign. His “big tent” idea of the Democratic party does not fit with where the party needs to go on climate change and racial justice.
With such a limited number of safe seats, Democrats in North Carolina and the U.S. as a whole cannot afford to be represented by someone inexperienced. North Carolina needs a seasoned politician who can hit the ground running as a representative and turn their political ideas into action. Aiken has already been runner-up on American Idol, Celebrity Apprentice and his first run for Congress. There are slim Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress and a growing optimism amongst Republicans for a “red wave” in 2022; Aiken, or any celebrity for that matter, should not be the Democratic candidate to make it to North Carolina’s general election.
