CLAY AIKEN FIGHTS FOR FIRST PLACE DURING NC SECOND DISTRICT DEBATE

Good ole' Clay Aiken! The openly gay American Idol runner-up fought his way through a debate Monday night with North Carolina second district representative (and opponent) Renee Ellmers. Ellmers has reportedly attempted to tie together Aiken and President Obama's beliefs in an attempt to win her congressional seat once again this November, but Aiken was not having it. 

ABC News reports:

“This Obama-Aiken economy is just killing us,” Ellmers said.

“You might need to get a new writer because calling it the Obama-Aiken economy is just preposterous,” Aiken responded.

According to Talking Points Memo, Aiken recently spoke with The New York Times about the very same topic, stating that there are "certainly areas where I disagree with [Obama]." Still, Ellmers kept digging, this time alluding to Aiken's vocal prowess and showmanship while discussing the U.S. military.

“It's almost as if as an entertainer, you believe that you can just go in with a song and dance and change the mind of the military leaders,” she said.

Aiken's priceless retort?

“The most embarrassing reality show in the country right now is Congress,” he said.

Good on you, Mr. Aiken!

Let's just hope that his pseudo-fame can make a difference. According to past elections, he has an uphill battle: President Obama lost there by over 10 percentage points in both 2008 and 2012.

Clay Aiken's Would-Be GOP Opponent Renee Ellmers Already Using Homophobic Rhetoric Against Him

Clay Aiken, who officially announed his intention to run for Congress and challenge Rep. Renee Ellmers in North Carolina, is already being attacked by Ellmers with familiar homophobic rhetoric, Think Progress reports.

Ellmers released a statement linking Aiken to San Francisco (you know, where the radical gays hang out):

“It speaks volumes to the state of the N.C. Democratic Party that the primary is shaping up to be a choice between the failed Perdue Administration’s Keith Crisco, a lawyer who doesn’t even live in the district, an activist who’s (sic) own party rejected her in the last democrat primary – and Aiken, a performer whose political views more closely resemble those of San Francisco than Sanford,” Ellmers spokeswoman Jessica Wood wrote in an email. “Renee best represents the values of the voters in the 2nd District and remains focused on fighting for their families.”

The remarks were immediately denounced by the former executive director of the NC Republican party, who called them "offensive and childish".

Zack Ford notes that Ellmers has a consistently anti-gay record:

She opposed North Carolina’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage because it also banned civil unions, but she still opposes same-sex marriage. She has supported bills to limit the religious freedom of military chaplains to officiate same-sex marriages and endorsed efforts to defend the Defense of Marriage Act.

Clay Aiken Announces Run for Congress in North Carolina

As rumored, American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken is going to run for Congress in North Carolina. The seat Aiken would be planning a run for is held by Rep. Renee Ellmers.

The News Observer reports:

Aiken’s decision to enter the race has already reshaped the field. Houston Barnes, a young attorney who lives in Durham, plans to announce Wednesday he is withdrawing from the race and supporting Aiken. That leaves former state commerce secretary Keith Crisco of Asheboro and licensed professional counselor Toni Morris of Fayetteville as Aiken’s primary opponents.