American Idol Alum Clay Aiken Announces Second Run for Congress
WNCN.This time around, Aiken is running in a more liberal district. The newly redrawn 6th District, which includes much of the territory that’s now represented by U.S.
Rep. David E. Price, a Democrat, 81, who is not seeking reelection, The Washington Post reports.“One of my first experiences in politics and government was asking Congressman Price to speak to my eighth-grade class — an invitation he graciously accepted,” Aiken, a native of Raleigh, N.C., said on his campaign website. “He is a legendary legislator who has delivered for the Triangle for over 30 years, and he leaves big shoes to fill.
I’d be honored to take his place.”Since his days on American Idol, Aiken has released several albums, performed on Broadway, hosted a Christmas special on TV, and has been a UNICEF ambassador, according to the Post.Aiken is expected to face a competitive primary.“For decades, North Carolina was actually the progressive beacon in the South,” Aiken said in a video posted on YouTube. “But then things changed, and the progressives lost power, and we started getting backwards-ass policies, like the voter suppression bills and the bigoted bathroom bill.” “Because today, it seems like the loudest voices in North Carolina politics are white nationalists like this guy,” Aiken said before a clip featuring Rep.
Madison Cawthorn, a Republican from North Carolina, is shown. The video goes on to show images of GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.“These folks are taking up all the oxygen in the room and I’ve got to tell you, I am sick of it,” Aiken said. “As Democrats, we have got to get better about speaking up and using our voices, because those folks ain’t quieting down anytime soon.
