How many actors, singers, or other celebrities have been elected as Dems?

[yurbud]

I can think of several Republicans: Reagan, Arnold, Sonny Bono, Fred Thompson, and Ted Grandy (Gopher on Love Boat), but no Democrats come to mind.

I wonder because whenever a lefty star makes some public statement, the right wing press derides them as out of touch cultural elite. But as soon as a celebrity makes a conservative noise, they not only listen, they run him for office.

If someone could train Spuds McKenzie to say 'tax cuts' or Morris the cat to meow no gay marriage, they would probably already be in congress.

[NewJeffCT]

1. The GOP loves their Hollywood stars

Wasn't there talk of Dennis Miller or Kelsey Grammar as a challenger to Barbara Boxer? I had thought there was no way Grammar could win over Republicans in a primary battle, but, since Grammar is a Republican, his lengthy list of acts that don't quite jibe with the Moral Majority crowd can be written off as "youthful indiscretions." Just shed a few tears & apologize and they'll eat it up.

And, on your original question, I think there has been 1 or 2, but I can't recall.

[cmkramer]

3. How soon we forget

How about Helen Gahagan Douglas? She was an actress-- mostly in theater -- in her own right -- in her only film role, she played the Ursula Andress part in the orginal production of "She" --- and was also married to actor Melvyn Douglas. Ileana Douglas is their granddaughter. She was a Democratic Congresswoman from California. She ran aganst Richard Nixon for the Senate and lost. He referred to her as "the Pink Lady" because of her ultraliberal politics and she returned the compliment by gifting him with the nickname "Tricky Dick".

Ben Jones of "Dukes of Hazzard" fame was a Democratic Congressman from Georgia.

Sheila Kuehl who played Zelda on "Dobie Gillis" is a State Senator in California (not that it matters, but she is also openly lesbian).

They are the only three former actors who have been elected to office as Democrats.

Democratic actors who have run and lost races include Nancy "Miss Jane Hathaway" Kulp, Barry Gordon (he was a child actor in the 1950's and '60s; he played the kid in "A Thousand Clowns" and was Archie Bunker's accountant in "Archie Bunker's Place" . Ralph "John Walton" Waite was Sonny Bono's Democratic opponent when he won his seat for Congress,

[yurbud]

5. Sheila Kuehl is my state senator--she is great.

It is funny how few there are given how much Republicans piss and moan about it.

Maybe we should elect Tim Robbins senator for California just to give the right something to complain about.

[NewJeffCT]

6. big difference there

While they are from Hollywood, they are not among the Hollywood elite, or even B list stars. You could say the name "Ben Jones" to most Americans, and most would say "huh"... sure, many could identify him if you said he was Cooter on the Dukes of Hazzard, or the guy that was Archie's accountant (sure, that guy that was Bunker's accountant...)

Arnold was among the elite, while Reagan was at least a B list star and a well known national name. Kelsey Grammar was on two very popular TV shows for over a decade. Sonny Bono was half of one "Sonny & Cher", a very popular singing couple.

I also believe that when he ran for mayor, Clint Eastwood ran as a Republican, though has since become an independent.

Ben Jones is not nearly as prominent as any of them.

[yurbud]

4. Grammar's patrician manner is out of sync with GOP HeeHaw

shtick.

Unless, like CBS in the early 70s, they decide to shed the hillbillies and become the Tiffany party.

There's about zero percent chance of that though.

A GOP pol has to have a Southern accent, be mean or stupid, or preferably all three, like Bush.

[ashling]

2. Ben Jones (D, NC)

Cooter from Dukes of Hazard TV show.

Orson Welles said on Johnny Carson that he had been asked to run for the Senate

but your point is well taken ... considering how they rail against anyone in Hollywood who has a brain also having an opinion.