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Kid Rock announced in 2017 that he was running for Senate before revealing the whole thing was a joke, but he’s not the only singer with ties to country music to seek public office. Do you remember which country singer ran for office in his home state twice?
Sammy Kershaw has long been an outspoken conservative Republican; he campaigned alongside President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in 2000 and 2004 and with Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin in 2008, but he decided to go beyond just talking about politics or supporting candidates in 2007 when he threw his hat in the ring in the lieutenant governor’s race in his home state of Louisiana.
Kershaw announced his candidacy on June 13, 2007, running against incumbent Democrat Mitch Landrieu and another Republican candidate, State Representative Gary Beard of Baton Rouge. Kershaw finished second and won 30 percent of the vote, with Landrieu winning re-election on Oct. 20, 2007, with a majority on the first ballot. Kershaw cited starting his campaign too late and spending too much time on the road as reasons for his loss.
The “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” singer ran for the same office again in 2010, calling his candidacy the Real People Campaign.
“I am running for the average, hardworking citizens of this state, who are tired of career politicians and political insiders using this seat, and their taxpayer dollars, as a place to bide their time until they can run for some other position,” he said, adding, “This job is about introducing the unique people, culture and heritage of this state. I have been in the promotion business my entire career and no one is more qualified to do this job than I am. It’s time the people have someone in this position who not only can do the job, but wants the job.”
Kershaw made a strong showing but was again unsuccessful, throwing his support to fellow Republican Jay Dardenne in the runoff election.
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.
See the Most Played Country Song from the Year You Were Born
Who had the most played country song during the year you were born? This list is a fascinating time capsule of prevalent trends from every decade in American history. Scroll through to find your birth year and then click to listen. Some of these songs have been lost through the years, many of them for good reason!
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
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