WASHINGTON — From Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger to Al Franken and Donald Trump, there’s a rich history of celebrities trying out new careers in politics.
The list could soon grow.
In California, former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner is running for governor. In Texas, Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has said he is considering a run for governor. In New York City, Andrew Yang, a businessman who gained fame during his quixotic 2020 presidential run, is a leading contender for the Democratic mayoral nomination.
Each has the type of name recognition that other political newcomers would envy. But as they consider running some of the nation’s largest and most complicated governments, their lack of experience in public office could be a vulnerability. That’s especially true after the tumult of the Trump era, when the reality television star-turned-president often spent more time raging about his media coverage than managing the federal bureaucracy.
“I do think it definitely makes it slightly harder,” said Daniel Ketchell, who was chief of staff to Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilder-turned-Hollywood star who won a California recall election in 2003 and became a two-term governor. “I think people are looking at you and that narrative of: We just elected an outsider celebrity and it didn’t work out for the country, we didn’t get much done for the country, we all were stressed out all the time.”