New Republican Sen. J. D. Vance of Ohio will not only update incumbent Sen. Rob Portman in the 118th Congress, but will sign up for the organization of right-wing actors, singers and television personalities who traded their celebrity to secure a spot on Capitol Hill.
Vance, who defeated Democratic challenger Rep. Tim Ryan in one of the craziest and most beloved Senate races of the 2022 midterm elections, originally stood out as part of Appalachia’s arguable ode, “Hillbilly Elegy. “His 2016 memoir was made into a Netflix movie in 2020, cementing the artist’s bona fide of the would-be venture capitalist and nonprofit founder.
While many lawmakers write eye-opening books and manifest a pseudo-presidential crusade about their political careers, Vance just lost his first turn of the page before coming to Washington.
But he is a pioneer.
Here are five other cultural figures, indexed back to when they joined Congress, who beat Vance to the point of Republican lawmakers.
Murphy a level and screen star before heading to the nation’s capital.
The Connecticut local has directed songs and dance numbers at various Broadway shows, appeared in nearly four dozen films in a 30-year career and was twice elected president of the Screen Actors Guild.
He became interested in California politics in the 1950s and was elected to the United States Senate in 1964.
Murphy lost his bid for re-election in 1970, serving one term. He died in May 1992.
Although he has been acting for nearly 50 years, and continues to do so today, Grandy’s iconic ultimate role remains his lead role in the ’70s comedy-drama “The Love Boat. “
Grandy spent more than a decade betting on cruiser Marshal Burl “Gopher” Smith, an occasionally clumsy worker with a gold center. It has made the impression from time to time in other popular series like “Fantasy Island,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “The Mindy Project,” but it will be related to the Pacific Princess and all the craze that happened on board.
He won one of the Iowa House seats in 1986, serving 4 terms in Congress, an excursion that included a stint on the tough Ways and Means Committee. Grandy attempted to oust current Iowa Governor Terry Branstad in 1994, but ended up losing 2 points.
Grandy has been a conservative radio commentator for several years.
Thompson juggled his two wonderful loves, theater and law, in his star-studded career.
He used his law degree from Vanderbilt University as counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, also known as the Watergate Committee that investigated then-President Richard Nixon. He then held similar positions as Special Counsel on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee.
After nearly a decade of excavating the scenes on behalf of Congress, Thompson became Hollywood’s highlight. “Die Hard 2” and others.
He returned to politics in 1994, competing in a special election to fill the Senate vacuum left by Vice President Al Gore. Thompson won that race and then a full term when he returned to the polls in 1996.
Shortly after leaving Congress, he landed his role as the ultimate actor: District Attorney Arthur Branch in the drama “Law. “
Thompson died late in 2015.
The singer-songwriter will be remembered as part of the musical giant of the 70s Sonny
After his iconic hit “I Got You Babe,” Bono has strived to keep them busy, creating popular albums, booking roles in television and film, and even releasing variety shows like “Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. “
Bono broke into politics through the mayoralty of Palm Springs, California. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives as a member of the California Congress.
Bono died in January 1998. He was succeeded through his fourth wife, Mary Bono, who held the same position until 2013.
Duffy first gave the impression of level as a cast member of MTV’s long-running truth series, “The Real World. “
He was chosen as curator-in-residence for the show’s sixth season, which took place in Boston, and was intentionally thrown into the mix through manufacturers who obviously expected fireworks between him and some of his black and LGBTQ roommates. Tensions erupted at times in the 23rd season episodes, however, Duffy more commonly went with the flow.
Like many other contestants on MTV’s truth exhibition, Duffy ended up appearing at his other exhibits, adding “Road Rules: All Stars,” where he met his wife of longtime and “Real World: San Francisco” bassist Rachel Campos.
Duffy spent several years as a district attorney in Wisconsin before coming to the U. S. House of Representatives. He spent nearly a decade on Capitol Hill before resigning in 2019 to deal with family issues similar to the fitness-related headaches his ninth child faced. .
Duffy and his wife on Fox News.