After losing previously to Republican Renee Ellmers in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District by 18 percentage points, Clay Aiken is searching for redemption after his latest announcement.
The ex-American Idol singer recently launched his bid to run for Congress in North Carolina as a Democrat. Aiken used social media announce his decision because he couldn't file his race formally due to the General Assembly mapping out the 14 Congressional seats.
Aiken tweeted:
Can you believe it's been almost 20 years since I first got to share my voice with you? That's a long time. A LOT has changed!\n\nWe need powerful voices more than ever, so I'm running for Congress.\n\nAnd my voice is even stronger now! ;-) #JoinTheChorus\n\nhttps://clayaiken.com\u00a0pic.twitter.com/xBtN2CYF30— Clay Aiken (@Clay Aiken) 1641828752
According to New York Times,
"Last month, the North Carolina Supreme Court ordered that the state’s 2022 primary election, originally scheduled for March 8, be postponed until May 17, citing a “need for urgency” in giving critics of the state legislature’s gerrymandered political maps additional time to pursue a legal battle to redraw them. New boundaries for state legislative districts and North Carolina’s 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives face three lawsuits filed by Democrats and voting-rights advocates in state court in Raleigh."
Aiken believed he had never changed his love for his home state. Being known for singing, he knew his voice could get him somewhere further in the political realm. Although he might've studied at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte and became a special education teacher in Wake County, Aiken's first encounter with politics in eighth grade inspired him to speak up.
“In Congress, I’ll use my voice to advocate for common-sense policies that encourage continued job growth and healthy communities. Many of these political battles divide us as people, threaten our democracy, and weaken America. North Carolinians are worried about affordable health care and rapid inflation.”
In his video post Aiken continued to praise his state stating they had the best roads and schools until change came along the way. To put some of his adversaries on blast, he used examples such as politicians U.S. Representative Madison Cawthorn and North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson.
"These people are taking up all the oxygen in the room and, I’ve got to tell you, I am sick of it... we have got to get better at speaking up and using our voices because those people aren’t quieting down any time soon."
If Aiken were to be win out the South, he would be the first openly-gay Congressman to do so.
