Cancelled Reality TV Star Running For State Senate
A cancelled reality TV star has decided to run for the state senate.
This article is more than 2 years old
Jim Bob Duggar from the TLC reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting made a huge reveal on the family’s official Facebook page. But this time it wasn’t about one of his adult children getting married or having a baby. In an interesting turn of events, Duggar announced his plans to run for Arkansas State Senate.
According to Deadline, the reality TV star previously served in the Arkansas House of Representatives for four years, from 1999 to 2002. That was six years before his family appeared on the weirdly popular TLC show from 2008 to 2015. On Facebook, Duggar told his 900k followers that he is honored to announce his candidacy for Arkansas State Senate District 7. Northwest Arkansas has been his lifelong home. It is where he’s raised his family (20 children) with his wife Michelle, and where he’s grown his businesses. The 56-year-old reality TV star also spoke fondly of his life in Arkansas, as his faith, family, and friends have roots there.
The announcement also says that Duggar is running for office because these are unprecedented times in the United States. He feels like the foundational principles that have made the country great are under threat like never before. He hints at government mandates which require employees to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The reality TV star says this forces people to choose between earning a paycheck and violating their rights and beliefs.
The Duggar family’s far-right conservative views are no secret. And Jim Bob Duggar has made it abundantly clear that he’s running on a platform that appeals to that particular voting base. “Now more than ever, we need a bold voice that is pro-family, pro-business, pro-gun, and pro-life,” the reality TV star’s announcement says. “It’s time for conservatives to demand courageous leadership that puts Arkansas families, jobs, and our constitutional liberties first.”
Depending on your political point of view, his announcement will either frustrate or delight you. In the comments, some supporters applauded the sentiment while others were not impressed. This comes in light of the scandal surrounding his son Josh Duggar. The TLC reality TV star is awaiting trial on charges of allegedly receiving and possessing child pornography. He has previously admitted to inappropriate sexual conduct with some of his sisters (via The List).
Josh Duggar’s trial was originally scheduled for July but has now been scheduled to start on November 30th. At the time TLC issued a statement saying the network feels it is important to allow the Duggar family to address their situation privately. And in July 2015, TLC announced that the reality TV show was officially canceled and would not resume production. Members of the family had mixed reactions to the cancellation of their TLC show.
19 Kids and Counting aired on TLC for seven years before being canceled. The series featured the Duggar family – parents Jim Bob and Michelle, along with their 19 children (nine daughters and ten sons, all of whose names begin with the letter “J”). The reality TV show focused on the day-to-day life of the Baptist family, and frequently discussed values of purity, modesty, and faith in God.
