It turns out that the rumors were true this time. Clay Aiken actually is running for Congress in North Carolina, which he announced on Wednesday. The former American Idol finalist will be seeking the Democratic nomination, and if he’s successful, he will take over from two-term Republican candidate Renee Ellmers in North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district.
Clay’s definitely going for the popularity vote, if his Facebook video is anything to go by. Clay uploaded a Facebook video explaining his decision to run for Congress, and the reasons he feels passionately about working in office. He credits his success in music and his work with UNICEF to inspiring him to continue into politics, and then he adds that he is in support of the military spending that might have led to the Government shutdown.
He adds, “This is what’s wrong with Washington, that a Congresswoman would go there and vote against the best interests on North Carolina military families, and those that depend on the military for their job.”
I don’t think that Clay realizes that his popularity level is nowhere near enough to win this kind of vote on pure numbers. And also, advocating military spending isn’t going to win him any fans, especially not now. He’ll have to sell the public with more than empty words, and to that effect, he does add, “I’m not a politician. I don’t ever want to be one. [I just want] the Capitol to represent all the people.”
Don’t we all, Clay, don’t we all? All politicians say that they never ‘want’ to be politicians, and that they just want to help make the country a better place. And you know what? Clay probably means everything he says, but there’s no guarantee that that’ll continue if he gets voted into office.