Clay Aiken launches campaign for Congress

CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article incorrectly identified Keith Crisco’s former job. Crisco is the former N.C. Secretary of Commerce. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.

Clay Aiken once served as a substitute teacher for a special education classroom. He wanted to advocate for those students, so he got his degree in special education at UNC-Charlotte.

He saw that children in Uganda were persecuted and felt that nobody was listening — so he joined UNICEF.

And now, the 2003 American Idol runner-up is hoping to represent N.C.’s second Congressional district as a Democrat to bring constituents’ voices to Congress.

Aiken released a campaign video Wednesday, confirming weeks of speculation about his entry into politics. But in the video, Aiken emphasized one key point — he doesn’t want to be a politician.

“I want to be a representative, I don’t want to be a politician because politicians are full of it. I want to be a representative because that’s what the job description is — to represent people,” he said in an interview, adding that he took issue with politicians being told to vote with their party.

“Vote how you’re told to … by your constituents. I don’t think that’s necessarily been seen by this district.”

U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers, a Republican, currently holds the seat. In a radio interview last week with WMAL Radio, Ellmers referenced Aiken’s musical past.

“Apparently his performing career is not going so well and he’s very bored,” she said. “As we know, he didn’t really fare all that well. He was runner-up.”

Aiken dismissed Ellmers’ criticism.

“I think she’s probably figured out by the end of today that I am (serious),” he said. “If she has any doubts about my seriousness, she will quickly realize that she’s inaccurate.”

Aiken will face at least two contenders in the Democratic primary in May — former N.C. Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco and licensed professional counselor Toni Morris. The deadline to file for candidacy is Feb. 28, but attorney Houston Barnes has already stepped aside following Aiken’s announcement.

“I do not … believe it is in the best interests of the people of North Carolina, or of the Democratic Party, to have an expensive, contentious Democratic Primary,” Barnes said in a statement announcing his withdrawal from the race.

Aiken said his campaign will reflect what’s important to the people of the state, including the growth of the economy, unemployment and ensuring that military veterans can get jobs.

“The overarching issue for me is to dispense with the way Washington has been for the last three years,” he said, pointing to an increasingly partisan and gridlocked Congress. “Compromise is a cuss word nowadays and it shouldn’t be.

“We need to change that whole idea that we’re not going to compromise and that goes for both sides of the aisle. Both parties stink at this.

“We’re going to talk about that from here until November and we’re also going to talk about this beyond November, when I’m in office.”

About 28 percent of voters in the district are registered as unaffiliated, but Aiken said his approach to compromise would resonate with them.

“The truth is, no one lives on either end of the spectrum — most of us fall in that gray area,” he said.

But both parties have representatives in office who are on the extreme ends of the spectrum, he said.

“We have to find middle ground somehow, that is the key,” he said. “Even in the areas where I might be further to the left or right, we have to find compromise somewhere.”

Aiken said he wants to stay in public service in some form for the rest of his life.

“I would (stay in Congress) as long as people believe I’ve been effective, and I think that’s exactly how long people should stay — as long as they’re effective, and not beyond that.”

state@dailytarheel.com