We confess that we, too, totally forgot about “American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken, who unsuccessfully challenged incumbent GOP Rep. Rene Ellmers for her House seat in North Carolina.
@PostReid @NoahCRothman Always seems to come in second.
— Eric Fettmann (@EFettmann) November 7, 2014
@EFettmann @NoahCRothman HA! I see what you did there.
— Reid Wilson (@PoliticsReid) November 7, 2014
@PostReid @NoahCRothman He killed that guy for nothing.
— LL (@laura_lrnzo) November 7, 2014
(Just a joke, people; Aiken’s Democratic opponent, Keith Crisco, was found dead just days after the primary election.)
Those disappointed by Aiken’s loss can take heart in a five-minute YouTube video Aiken posted Friday. “This is just the beginning,” says Aiken over a bed of plaintive piano noodling. “Second place does not equal defeat.” Well, in politics it does, but that’s another story.
This is my 'thank you.' But it's not a 'thank you' and 'goodbye.' http://t.co/tvq0zdhE4X
— Clay Aiken (@clayaiken) November 7, 2014
Aiken can also been seen in an upcoming documentary about his campaign.
@PostReid Have no fear! You can relive his whole campaign through his documentary that was filming the whole time http://t.co/uiFe4xlO8Y
— Colby Itkowitz (@ColbyItkowitz) November 7, 2014
One problem there: some Los Angeles donors now say they feel “duped” learning — after Aiken’s defeat — that a documentary series was in the works. The Boston Herald reports that the host of the L.A. fundraiser wrote a letter to Aiken, saying, “I am sorry for the loss on your bid for Congress, but apparently you had yourself covered with a reality TV show deal the entire time, just in case you didn’t win. I cannot speak for the NC Voters or contributors, but I can speak for myself and many of your Los Angeles supporters when I say we feel duped, taken advantage of and lied to.”
https://twitter.com/AaronBlakeWP/status/530747017644224512
Duped, taken advantage of and lied to? Maybe Aiken’s got what it takes to make it in Democratic politics after all.
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