American Idol Star Clay Aiken Is Running For Congress In North Carolina

Clay Aiken is using his voice again but its not for singing.

The former American Idol contestant, 43, announced Monday that he is making a second bid to represent North Carolina in Congress.

As a loud and proud Democrat, I intend to use my voice to deliver real results for North Carolina families, Aiken, a native of Raleigh, says in a video he shared on Twitter to kick off his campaign.

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!

We need powerful voices more than ever, so I'm running for Congress.

And my voice is even stronger now! ;-) #JoinTheChorushttps://t.co/aQIm8a2xuZ pic.twitter.com/xBtN2CYF30

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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!

We need powerful voices more than ever, so I'm running for Congress.

And my voice is even stronger now! ;-) #JoinTheChorus https://t.co/aQIm8a2xuZ pic.twitter.com/xBtN2CYF30
Clay Aiken (@clayaiken) January 10, 2022

For decades, North Carolina was actually the progressive beacon in the South, Aiken says in the campaign video. 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.

He adds that nowadays, the loudest political voices in his state are white nationalists like this guy, cutting to a clip of Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.). The video also shows images of other far-right U.S. representatives like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

These folks are taking up all the oxygen in the room, and Ive got to tell you, I am sick of it, Aiken says.

In 2014, Aiken prevailed in the Democratic primary in his states 2nd District. But because he was a former pop star, openly gay and running in a conservative House district, he was defeated in the general election by Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.).