It’s official. I mentioned in September that Raj Bhakta from the Apprentice’s first season was contemplating a run for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 13th district. Newsweek reported this weekend that it’s a go:
As a contestant on “The Apprentice,” Raj Bhakta was famous for his grand gestures: the bow ties, the walking stick, the time he hit on Donald Trump’s receptionist. So it’s not surprising that for his next act Bhakta is aiming for something big: Congress. Bhakta, 29, has never been elected to anything but project manager. But the real-estate developer thinks he’ll defeat incumbent Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz in ’06. “People would be remiss to think, ‘Who is this guy from a television show?’ We’re not talking like I made it on ‘The Real World’.”
Beyond the prospect of Omarosa stumping for him, Bhakta is an unusual candidate. He’s a pro-choice Republican with reservations about President Bush’s policies toward Iraq and the economy. “One of the reasons I’m getting involved in politics is an overall platform of reform, reform, reform,” Bhakta says. “Our government needs to begin focusing on education, health care and the environment.”
Pro-choice Republican? Maybe we can get him to give a quote on his opinion of the Alito nomination? It is going to be especially difficult to run against an incumbent Democrat if you sound like you have reservations about Bush’s policies. Why not just leave the Democrat in office?
See previous posts.
he’ll get smacked down. allyson schwartz is a serious contender. and ’06 won’t be a good election for fence-straddlers.
peace
I think he might have a good chance of winning because he is Republican in name only.
pro-choice, maybe anti-Iraq war, “I’m getting involved in politics is an overall platform of reform, reform, reform” “focusing on education, health care and the environment”
Pro-choice republican, huh? Haven’t watched the show as I am anti-apprentice, but I just know that anyone hawt enough to sport a bow-tie can’t be all bad.
RINOs dont usually surive in Republican primaries.
AMfD, Whats a RINO??
Btw, A pro-choice anti-war republican? whats not to like.
Hmmm, RINO = Repub In Name Only ?
that makes sense. Thanks
I applaud an elephant who has the balls to question the current retardastration. You’re my boy, Raj, you’re my BOY. Oh, Abhi…why you gotta hate? 😀 Don’t be so predictably partisan. Err on the side of right. I mean, I’m not biased towards him just b/c I have more of a chance of being HIS first lady than yours… 😉
mmm, sartorial succulence. Throw the incumbents out, carry the bowtie IN. 😉
Awww, I like you too! 😀
I wasn’t hating at all. I was merely stating the political reality. I am all for more Republicans who are pro-choice and anti-Bush foreign policy. I just don’t think he can win for the same reason others have stated. I have never said a single negative thing about Raj the person on any SM post. When it comes to political issues though I am very matter-of-fact.
b/c he’s a republican who would like to represent his community! the political reality you’re referring to is slightly puzzling– this isn’t the first time (nor will it be the last) when a newbie pol is up against a goliath-like incumbent, and that’s not an adequate reason to NOT run and at the very least, get his name out there. it’s one thing to say that you’re skeptical about his chances, quite another to opine that someone shouldn’t run against a candidate from an OPPOSING party…which is what i thought you did in the quote above. i never accused you of hating on him personally– “why you gotta hate” was typed in fun, if that wasn’t clear.
Yeah but as you are aware there are very few competetive congressional seats left in the nation. Redistricting initiatives have seen to that. If you want to invest the large amount of money that a race requires you would think it would be because your views are significantly different than your opponent’s (see Hackett in Ohio). In either case my cynical view based on the current political environment is that he shouldn’t waste his money. He has every right to run (as we all do). For the purposes of this blog I am just voicing my objective assesment that he doesn’t have a chance to win. That being said there is nothing I enjoy more than a polictical upset (unless it is by the religious right).