Celebrities Who’ve Run For Political Office

The 2020 presidential election is just around the corner. While celebrities tend to be very vocal about their picks for the highest office in the nation, the political passion doesn’t always end there.

Quite a few big Hollywood names have run for some kind of political office themselves.

While many of these famous faces don’t actually make it past the ballot box, some are able to turn their celebrity power into a successful campaign — including a notorious reality TV star.

Continue reading to see some of the celebs who’ve hit the campaign trail.

1. Donald Trump

Donald Trump serves as the most recent and most galvanizing celebrity to hold office. Donald was elected as president of the United States following the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton. Prior to becoming president, Donald hosted reality show “The Apprentice” and was known for his often controversial entrepreneurial ventures.

2. Kanye West

In July, Kanye West announced his candidacy for president of the U.S. in the upcoming 2020 election. While he’s missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in the vast majority of states, he recently filed as an unaffiliated presidential candidate in Utah with his running mate and “biblical life coach” Michelle Tidball.

3. Cynthia Nixon

In 2018, “Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon ran for governor of New York but did not win the Democratic party endorsement. She then started a petition to force a primary election and succeeded but did not win the election against Andrew Cuomo.

4. Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood served as the Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California from 1986 to 1988 and then served on the California State Park and Recreation Commission in 2001 under Governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

5. Clay Aiken

In 2014, “American Idol” alum Clay Aiken ran for a spot in the House of Representatives for his home state of North Carolina but lost.

6. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger earned his nickname The Governator when he served as the governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

7. Sonny Bono

In 1988, music icon Sonny Bono became the mayor of Palm Springs, California and in 1994, he continued his political career serving as a member of the House of Representatives.

8. Ben Higgins

In 2016, The Bachelor’s Ben Higgins filed campaign paperwork to run for a seat in Colorado’s House of Representatives but backed out the following day.

9. Jerry Springer

Before he was a daytime talk show host, Jerry Springer began his career in politics. He ran for Congress in Ohio in 1970 but lost. He later became the mayor of Cincinnati from 1971 to 1981.

10. George Takei

In 1973, George Takei ran for the Los Angeles City Council but didn’t win. In 1980, he became a candidate for the California State Assembly. He later went on to join the Southern California Rapid Transit District to help improve public transportation.

11. Roseanne Barr

Roseanne Barr ran for president of the United States in 2012 as a Green Party candidate, and later as the face of the Peace and Freedom Party.

12. Stacey Dash

Stacey Dash, of “Clueless” fame, announced her Congressional candidacy in California in 2018 but withdrew a month later.

13. Shirley Temple Black

Child star Shirley Temple Black ran for a seat in Congress in 1967 but lost the election. She later became a US ambassador for Ghana and Czechoslovakia.

14. Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan started his career as an actor and in 1967 he was elected the governor of California. He served in the position until 1975 and then ran for president of the United States. He was elected in 1981 and held the position until 1989.

15. Manny Pacquiao

Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the Philippines in 2010 and has served as a senator since 2016.

16. Wyclef Jean

In 2010, Wyclef Jean announced his candidacy for the president of Haiti but shortly after, Haiti’s electoral council denied his bid. Wyclef Jean believes the denial was because he didn’t meet the five-year residency requirement.

17. Diane Neal

Diane Neal, of “Law & Order: SVU” fame, ran as an Independent in the New York Congressional election in 2018. She lost to the Democratic candidate.

18. Al Franken

Former “Saturday Night Live” star Al Franken was elected to the Senate in 2008 as part of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. In 2014 he was reelected but resigned in early 2018 following allegations of sexual misconduct.

19. Jesse “The Body” Ventura

Former WWF pro wrestler, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, successfully ran for office as a mayor and governor.

The Vietnam vet, who also has numerous acting credits to his name including a role in Schwarzenegger’s 1987 classic “Predator”, served as mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, from 1991 to 1995.

He then became governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.