11 Celebrities Who Tried to Become Politicians — and Some Who Succeeded

Political office is no longer just for career politicians: Hollywood and the entertainment industry have become stepping stones for celebrities eager to make an impact beyond the limelight. From sitcom stars to wrestling legends, these well-known faces have swapped scripts and stadiums for ballots and debate stages. Discover the stars who turned political ambitions into real-life campaigns, blending their undeniable charisma with aspirations for change both big and small.

Jerry Springer

Famed for his controversial talk show, Jerry Springer found notoriety well before his TV fame in politics. He first served on the Cincinnati City Council and was the 56th Mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978, according to Biography. Later in life, Springer considered campaigns for the U.S. Senate and Ohio governor, but didn’t commit, per the outlet.

Jesse Ventura

Jesse Ventura leveraged his status as a wrestling icon and action star to win the Minnesota governor’s seat. Running as a Reform Party candidate, he won the election in November 1998, narrowly and unexpectedly defeating the major-party nominees to become Governor of Minnesota, per Axios. Ventura’s larger-than-life persona made him a force to be reckoned with both in the ring and on the campaign trail.

Clint Eastwood

Legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood took a break from cinematic showdowns in the ’80s to serve as the mayor of Carmel, California. On April 8, 1986, Eastwood was elected Mayor and served a single two-year term, according to History.

Howard Stern

Howard Stern shook up the airwaves as a boundary-pushing broadcaster before considering a bold move into politics. He won the Libertarian Party’s nomination for governor of New York in 1994 before withdrawing from the race after refusing to comply with the state’s financial disclosure requirements, per UPI.

Anson Williams

Beloved for his role as “Potsie” on Happy Days, Anson Williams stepped away from television to pursue public service. He ran for mayor of Ojai, California, in 2022, challenging the incumbent on a platform of various issues, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Williams ultimately lost to Betsy Stix by 42 votes, per The Wrap.

Al Franken

Al Franken transitioned from Saturday Night Live satirist and author to a U.S. Senator for Minnesota. After working as a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live, he was elected to the United States Senate in 2009, where he took office in July after vote recounts, per Britannica. Franken left office in January 2018 and later returned to host the Al Franken Show on Sirius XM, according to the outlet.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The iconic bodybuilder and action star famously became the “Governator” when he entered politics. On October 7, 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California in a special recall election to replace Gray Davis, as reported by History.

Ben Savage

After rising to fame as Cory Matthews on Boy Meets World, Ben Savage swapped sitcom scripts for campaign speeches in a recent congressional bid. He ran as a Democrat for California’s 30th Congressional District, the seat that was vacated by Rep. Adam Schiff, according to NPR.

Glenn “Kane” Jacobs

Known for his dominating presence in the wrestling ring, Kane channeled his larger-than-life persona into a successful mayoral campaign. WWE Hall of Famer Glenn Jacobs won the mayoral seat of Knox County, Tennessee, in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022, per Sports Illustrated.

Cynthia Nixon

Best known for her sharp-witted role on Sex and the City, Cynthia Nixon took her advocacy offscreen with a high-profile campaign for governor of New York. She announced her candidacy in March 2018, challenging Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo in that year’s primary, according to NBC News. In September of that year, she was defeated by Cuomo in the Democratic primary, per People.

Clay Aiken

From stirring performances on American Idol to policy debates, Clay Aiken transformed his public platform into a congressional run. The former American Idol runner-up announced his second bid for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina in January 2022, running as a Democrat in the state’s 6th Congressional District, as reported by Variety. Aiken lost the Democratic Primary in May of that year, securing only 7.4% of the vote, per Ballotpedia.

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