24 celebrities and media figures who ran for political office
It is not uncommon that public figures, particularly in entertainment and media, try to enter public service, whether it be for mayor, for Congress or even for president.
With the 2024 election just around the corner, here are 24 celebrities and media figures who have run, or are currently running, for political office.
Clay Aiken
Clay Aiken of "American Idol" fame first ran for Congress in 2014. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/Getty Images)
Clay Aiken, the singer best known as the runner-up contestant on the second season of "American Idol," threw his hat in the political ring in two unsuccessful congressional bids. The first was in 2014 when he clinched the Democratic nomination in North Carolina's 2nd district and was later defeated by then incumbent Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers. The second was in 2022 in the Democratic primary in North Carolina's 4th district, where he came in third place behind state lawmaker Valerie Foushee, who went on to be elected in the general.
John Avlon
John Avlon left his job as a CNN political analyst to run for Congress as a Democrat. ((Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images) )
John Avlon, the former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast who went on to be a CNN political analyst, left CNN in February to launch a congressional bid in New York's 1st district to unseat Republican Rep. Nick LaLota. Avlon is running as a Democrat and is hoping to clinch his party's nomination in the June 25 primary.
Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Barr famously announced on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" that she was running for president in the 2012 election cycle. (Kevin Winter/Tonight Show/Getty Images for The Tonight Show)
Comedian and actress Roseanne Barr, best known for her hit ABC sitcom "Roseanne," ran for president in 2012 as a Green Party candidate, losing the nomination to Jill Stein, who is currently running in the upcoming 2024 election as the Green Party candidate.
Sonny Bono
Music icon Sonny Bono was elected to Congress in 1994 and served on Capitol Hill until his death. (DAVID AKE/AFP via Getty Images)
Sonny Bono, singer and songwriter of the famous musical duo Sonny & Cher, first ran for U.S. Senate in California in 1992, but was defeated in the Republican primary. Two years later, he launched a successful congressional bid in California's 44th district and was reelected in 1996. Bono served in Congress until his death in 1998.
Bill Cotter
Bill "Billy Football" Cotter of Barstool Sports fame is hoping to be one of the youngest members of Congress to be elected. (Bill Cotter for Congress)
Barstool Sports personality Bill Cotter, known by fans as "Billy Football," recently launched a congressional bid in New York's 3rd district as a Republican and will be competing in the June 25 primary. At 25 years old, Cotter is hoping to be one of the youngest members of Congress to be elected.
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Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood proudly holds up a shirt proclaiming him as the mayor of Carmel, California, during his acceptance speech on April 9, 1986.
Oscar-winning director and actor Clint Eastwood may be known to millions as "Dirty Harry," but many might not know him for perhaps his most prominent role: mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Eastwood was elected in 1986 and served a 2-year term in the small Monterey-area town. He later was appointed by California Gov. Gray Davis in 2001 to serve on the California State Park and Recreation Commission.
Larry Elder
Conservative radio host Larry Elder launched bids for California governor and president. (Fox News Digital/Paul Steinhauser)
Conservative radio host Larry Elder first entered politics in 2021 as a candidate in the recall effort against California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, which Newsom successfully overcame. Last year, Elder launched a 2024 presidential bid in the Republican primary, but ultimately suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Trump.
Al Franken
Former "SNL" cast member Al Franken took his humor to Washington, D.C., as a Minnesota senator.
Al Franken, the comedian and radio host known as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live," famously unseated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race by just 225 votes. He went on to serve as a Democratic senator until he resigned in 2018 after he faced mounting sexual misconduct allegations.
Hill Harper
Television actor Hill Harper is aiming to be Michigan's next U.S. Senator.
Hill Harper has nearly 100 IMDB credits that range from "Married… With Children," "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "The Sopranos" to "Homeland," but is better known for his roles in "CSI: NY," "Limitless" and "The Good Doctor." The next role he is aiming for is Michigan's next U.S. senator, launching his bid as a Democrat in July 2023 hoping to fill the seat of outgoing Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. He will face off in the August 6 Democratic primary against Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
Caitlyn Jenner
Olympic superstar and reality TV celeb Caitlyn Jenner entered the crowded field of gubernatorial candidates in the 2021 California recall effort. (AP)
Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner entered the crowded field in the 2021 California recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom, who successfully fended off the challenge.
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Ben Jones
"Dukes of Hazzard" star Ben Jones landed a bigger role on Capitol Hill as a congressman. (Marianne Barcellona/Getty Images)
Ben Jones, the actor best known as Cooter Davenport in the hit TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard," first ran for Congress as a Democrat in Georgia's 4th congressional seat in 1986, resulting in a narrow defeat against Republican incumbent Pat Swindall. Jones later defeated a scandal-plagued Swindall in a 1988 rematch and won reelection in 1990. Following losing his seat due to redistricting, he ran against Newt Gingrich in 1994 and lost. Jones went on to launch a congressional bid as a Democrat in Virginia against GOP incumbent Eric Cantor in 2022, but was defeated.
Kari Lake
Former Phoenix TV anchor Kari Lake is currently running in the Arizona Senate race. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
Kari Lake was a longtime news anchor for KSAZ-TV in Phoenix before launching her bid as a Republican in Arizona's gubernatorial race in 2022, but was narrowly defeated by her Democratic rival Katie Hobbs. Lake is now running for U.S. Senate, hoping to flip Arizona's seat red following the departure of outgoing Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Lake is the heavy favorite in the crowded GOP field that will compete in the July 30 primary and is expected to face off against Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in November.
Cynthia Nixon
"Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon launched a gubernatorial challenge in 2018 against then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Emmy-winning actress Cynthia Nixon, best known as Miranda Hobbes in the "Sex and the City" franchise, turned her political activism into a political campaign when she launched a Democratic primary challenge against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018. She was ultimately defeated by Cuomo by a 34-66 point margin.
Dr. Mehmet Oz
Celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz threw his hat in the ring in one of the most-watched Senate races during the 2022 midterms. (Rachel Wisniewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Celebrity doctor and TV host Mehmet Oz made a splash in the 2022 midterms by entering a crowded GOP primary in Pennsylvania's open U.S. Senate race. With the help of Trump's endorsement, Oz clinched the Republican nomination but was defeated by his Democratic challenger, John Fetterman.
Ronald Reagan
Then-President Ronald Reagan speaks at a news conference on August 12, 1986, where he uttered the now-famous phrase, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." (Screenshot/ Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute)
Ronald Reagan had a successful acting career spanning three decades and served twice as the president of the Screen Actors Guild. But he famously sought even higher office, first being elected California's governor in 1966 as a Republican and serving two terms before being elected President of the United States in 1980, going on to serve two terms in the Oval Office until 1989.
Ben Savage
Ben Savage entered the limelight at a very young age starring as Cory Matthews in the popular 90s sitcom "Boy Meets World." He got his first taste of politics in college as an intern for Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter in 2023, but didn't officially enter politics until 2022 when running in an unsuccessful bid for West Hollywood City Council. He went on to launch a congressional bid in California's 30th district, hoping to take the torch from Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who is likely to win his current bid for Senate. Savage was ultimately defeated in the Democratic primary by California assemblywoman Laura Friedman.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Movie superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger brought muscle to the 2003 California recall election, resulting in a historic win for the governorship. (HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images)
Austrian-born bodybuilder-turned-actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of Hollywood's most successful action stars in movie history, landing lead roles in "Conan the Barbarian," "Predator" and the "Terminator" franchise. Schwarzenegger followed in Reagan's footsteps and became a Republican governor of California, but through the state's 2003 recall election and went on to serve until 2011.
Jerry Springer
Before he became a television staple, Jerry Springer served as a Democratic councilman and mayor of Cincinnati. (Getty Images)
The world best knows the late Jerry Springer as a television icon, but before his cultural takeover in the 1990s, Springer was quite active in politics, serving as the mayor of Cincinnati from 1977-1978 and on the city council on and off from 1971-1981. He also ran for Congress in 1970 and for Ohio governor in 1982 as a Democrat, both unsuccessfully.
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Shirley Temple
Iconic Hollywood child star Shirley Temple ran for Congress back in 1967. (Ted Streshinsky/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
The late Shirley Temple was one of Hollywood's first child stars but found her second act as an adult in the world of politics. She ran unsuccessfully in a special election in California's 11th congressional district in 1967 as a Republican but went on to serve in multiple Republican administrations, most notably as the U.S. ambassador to Ghana and later the territory formerly known as Czechoslovakia.
Fred Thompson
"Law & Order" regular Fred Thompson had a vibrant career in politics as a senator and a presidential candidate. (GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)
The acting career of the late Fred Thompson spans three decades, known most memorably for his roles in "The Hunt for Red October," "Die Hard 2" and his recurring appearances in the "Law & Order" franchise. But in between was also a robust political career that began in 1994 when he was first elected senator from Tennessee and served until 2003. He also ran for president in 2008 in the Republican primary, losing to his former Senate colleague John McCain.
Donald Trump
President Trump was widely known in New York City, but reached celebrity status as host of NBC's hit show "The Apprentice." (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Donald Trump was far more than a New York real estate mogul, maintaining his status as a cultural icon with his cameo appearances in several TV shows and films. His fame reached even bigger heights as the host of NBC's "The Apprentice" for 14 seasons. But he shocked the world when he launched his 2016 campaign, clinched the Republican nomination and defeated Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. After being defeated by President Biden in 2020, Trump easily bested his rivals in the GOP primary and will face off against Biden in a 2024 rematch in November.
Jesse Ventura
Wrestling icon Jesse Venture took his fights from the ring to the Minnesota governor's mansion in 1999. (CRAIG LASSIG/AFP via Getty Images)
Professional wrestler and actor Jesse Ventura had a successful stint in politics, first becoming mayor of Minnesota's Brooklyn Park from 1991-1995 and later becoming the state's governor from 1999-2003. Ventura notably ran as a candidate of the Reform Party, marking one of the political party's greatest achievements.
Herschel Walker
GOP Senate nominee Herschel Walker holds a rally on Nov. 30, 2022 in Dalton, Georgia, ahead of the state's Dec. 6 Senate runoff election. (Fox News)
Herschel Walker is widely seen as a hero in Georgia after winning the Heisman Trophy as a running back at the University of Georgia and went on to play in the NFL for 12 seasons. He was recruited by Republicans to enter Georgia's Senate race in the 2022 midterms to face off against Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock. Walker was narrowly defeated in a runoff election by a roughly 49-51 point margin.
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Ye, formerly known as Kanye West
The artist formerly known as Kanye West launched a longshot presidential bid in 2020. (Screenshot/Ye)
Ye, the music superstar formerly known as Kanye West, has made headlines over his politics for years, from claiming President George W. Bush "doesn't care about Black people" in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina, to visiting President Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 donning a "Make America Great Again" hat. In 2020, he launched an independent presidential bid in what he called the "Birthday Party" but only made it on the ballot in 12 states, earning roughly 70,000 votes total. While he has teased another presidential bid in 2024, Ye was engulfed in controversy in recent years for a series of antisemitic statements. He issued an apology in December.
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