Another Far-Right Reality TV Star Runs for Office

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by: Colorado Pols

The #Bachelor is now The Candidate. @benhiggi signs papers to get on HD4 ballot after GOP vacancy vote #coleg pic.twitter.com/lyrWtDV4H2

— Ernest Lee Luning (@eluning) July 16, 2016

Donald Trump, Ben Higgins.

As FOX 31 reports, it’s not just Donald Trump anymore! Ben Higgins, a conservative Republican who starred in ABC’s The Bachelor reality TV program, is officially running for the Colorado General Assembly in west Denver’s strongly blue House District 4:

Ben Higgins of “The Bachelor” fame is running for the state house in Colorado.

FOX31 Denver political reporter Joe St. George confirmed the information Friday night.

Higgins is a Republican and he will take on incumbent Democrat Dan Pabon in District 4.

Republicans are reportedly very excited about Higgins running, citing his name ID and…well, not much else. The reason is simple: HD-4 is one of the state’s most solidly Democratic districts. In 2014, a Republican “wave year,” Dan Pabon beat his Republican opponent with almost 80% of the vote. As an avowed Christian conservative Republican, Higgins’ agenda is nothing short of antithetical to the interests of the voters he is courting.

Once you realize that, the fool’s errand of Higgins’ run becomes apparent. Although there surely are voters who might be swayed by the superficial appeal of a reality TV candidate they are familiar with, we strongly suspect that the district’s diverse, worldly, and highly educated voters will find what Higgins actually stands for to be repugnant. Past the glitzy appeal of a television star running for office, Higgins simply has nothing to offer HD-4.

Whatever Higgins’ personal (not to mention commercial) aspirations may be in running for office, honest Republicans we’ve talked to consider this race to be more of a “resource sink”–forcing Democrats to spend money defending a seat that otherwise should not be on the table. In addition, Higgins is reportedly set to be filmed by a reality TV crew throughout his run for office, which could raise novel campaign finance issues.

We’d say forcing Democrats to divert resources to hold a “safe” seat is the best case scenario here for Republicans. In the worst case, the voters of HD-4 thrash Higgins so badly that the whole exercise simply does further damage to the Republican brand.

We say “further damage” out of deference to Higgins’ fellow reality TV star at the top of the ticket.

7 thoughts on “Another Far-Right Reality TV Star Runs for Office”

davebarnes says:

July 16, 2016 at 8:48 am
As a resident of HD-4, I did know that GOPers were allowed to live here. I just thought that a "Newt Test" would have eliminated them.

What I would love to know is how many people/voters in HD-4 actually watch The Bachelor. After all, this a part of town where I hear NPR from car radios.

Dan does have some problems
1. He let ownership of DanPabon.com lapsed and an enemy has grabbed it
2. His Facebook page is not accessible
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Diogenesdemar says:

July 16, 2016 at 9:19 am

You gotta' admit, this guy's perfect for today's Colorado GHP* . . .

. . . I have no doubt that Highin's poster is already lovingly on display next to Keyser's and Gardner's in Moddy's mommy's basement!

Now that he's officially announced, he probably still has a shot at getting booked as keynote speaker at next week's Drumpfapalooza!?!

* Good Hair Party

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1. bullshit! says:
  
  July 16, 2016 at 4:04 pm
  
  Personally I think it's great that Balloon Boy is all grown up and running for office.
  
  "Daddy, you said it was for the show."
  
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JohnInDenver says:

July 16, 2016 at 11:14 am

Interesting: "

In addition, Higgins is reportedly set to be filmed by a reality TV crew throughout his run for office,"

Opens up some real possibilities for those willing to be on television ("Hi Mom"). I'm figuring if there is a great deal of creative opposition presence, it might even make the TV coverage be more likely to be sold for broadcast.

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doremi says:

July 16, 2016 at 3:06 pm

Dan Pabon made the race more possible for the GOP when he idiotically drank too much and then stepped behind the wheel of his car. Could you have been hinting about the alcohol issue with your choice of photograph of his opponent?

I realize that legislators don't have to be saints, but they should practice more good citizenship than Pabon did here. (I do realize that he didn't play the game as the former representative from Grand Junction did when she tried to weasel out by claiming she was a legislator, but he still showed disregard for public safety.).
Lest we say, “Ah, but there go I,” Pabon’s alcohol level was high. And if we do say that, we should reconsider our own choices/actions.

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1. Voyageur says:
  
  July 16, 2016 at 7:32 pm
  
  As Abraham Lincoln said when he recalled McClellan, "I have to fight this war with the tools God gave me."
  
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waagosh says:

July 17, 2016 at 11:44 am

Knowing nothing about the bachelor, is he really a not married Republican (the white male part is assumed)? Does not matter much, just need to GOTV for all Dems this year.

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