(RepublicanInformer.com)- Politics is often described as show business for ugly people – but for some celebrities, politics is enticing! Several big names have entered political life after becoming famous in show business, whether they’re actors, singers, or just popular figures.
It’s surprisingly common for famous figures to run for political office, but less common that they win. There are, however, several great examples even in recent history of American celebs running for office…and winning.
Let’s take a look at five of them
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
After spending decades as a famous actor and bodybuilding legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger chose to enter the political arena in 2003. He first ran for Governor of California in a recall election and served between 2003 and 2007.
In a subsequent election, Schwarzenegger was reelected – as a Republican – to serve a full term between 2007 and 2011. Owing to term limits imposed in California, however, Schwarzenegger was forced to step down.
A big loss for the Republican Party, particularly given how overwhelmingly Democrat the state has become in recent years.
2. Donald Trump
You already know this one, right? Donald Trump is the New York billionaire real estate mogul who won the 2016 presidential election. Running on a populist platform for the Republican Party, Trump lost the popular vote but won the electoral college vote by appealing to working-class and regular Americans in swing states, rather than just focusing on big states with huge populations.
Before running in 2016, however, Trump pondered a presidential run in the year 2000. Trump announced a presidential exploratory committee in October 1999. Much of his 2000 campaign was similar to his 2016 campaign, but ultimately he ended the campaign to win the nomination of the Reform Party in February 2000.
3. Ronald Reagan
Those who weren’t alive during the Reagan years might not know that before he was elected the 33rd Governor of California, and ultimately the 40th President of the United States, he was an actor and the leader of a union.
Reagan worked as a radio announcer in the 1930s, before getting a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. in 1937.
4. Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood is best known as an actor and director, but he was also the Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in California.
Eastwood was elected as the nonpartisan mayor in 1986 and 2001, and was later appointed to work on the California State Park and Recreation Commission. Much more than just a legendary filmmaker, Eastwood was dedicated to his community.
Despite being a nonpartisan mayor, he did endorse Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential election and also addressed the RNC that same year. However, he endorsed Democrat Mike Bloomberg in 2020.
5. Sonny Bono
You probably know Sonny Bono as the husband of singer Cher, and the other half of Sonny and Cher.
While Cher went on to become an actress and stayed in the performing industry, Sonny Bono went on to become a politician.
In 1988 he was elected as the 16th Mayor of Palm Springs as a Republican and served until 1992.
Then, in 1995, he was elected as a member of the United States House of Representatives for California’s 44th district. He served between 1995 and 1998.
Amazing, right?
