10 Celebrities You Never Knew Ran for President

With the upcoming presidential election already making headlines all over the country, people are paying closer attention to politics than they have in a long time. Now that President Obama’s second term is coming to an end, this election will be one of the most important in recent years. But while running for presidential office is something usually reserved for those with an interest and background and politics, there have been several candidates over the years who are much better-known for their celebrity status than their politics.  Although these stars don’t stand as good a chance as their political counterparts, they still add something interesting to the race. Here are 10 celebrities you never knew ran for president.

Bill Bradley

Two time NBA champion, Bill Bradley, was once best-known for his skills on the basketball court.  Now a hall of fame player, Bradley had a highly successful career and even made the all-star team in 1973.  These days; however, Bradley has made a name for himself in the political sphere. In 2000, Bradley ran for president and campaigned as the liberal alternative to mainstream candidate and former vice president, Al Gore. However, when it became clear that he wasn’t going to win the primaries, he withdrew from the election and endorsed Gore who, as you know, did not win the presidential election.

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Stephen Colbert

Multi-talented comedian, Stephen Colbert, is a fan favorite who is well-known for his political commentary.  When he announced that he would be running for president in 2008, most people took him for a joke. However, Colbert’s run proved to be more legitimate than most people imagined although it didn’t result in a win. Colbert attempted to try his luck again in 2012. However, his presidential dreams never came to fruition. With that being said, many people are still hoping that he eventually runs again.

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Dick Gregory

Comedian, Dick Gregory, may be all about making people laugh, but that’s never stopped him from speaking his mind on the issues taking place around him. In 1968, Gregory ran for president with the Freedom and Peace Party, but unfortunately earned less than 50,000 votes. However, Gregory didn’t let his failed presidential run take him out of politics completely. Over the years, he’s continued to be an activist, always standing strong in his beliefs. Even now, at 82-years-old, Gregory can still be found telling it like it is.

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Waka Flocka Flame

Earlier this year, Atlanta-based rapper, Waka Flocka Flame announced that he would be running for president. According to Waka, “I’m very pleased to announce today — on 4/20, the best day of the year — I will be running for president. And the first thing I’m gonna do when I get into office is legalize marijuana.” While there hasn’t been much else said about his potential run, and his chances of winning are very slim, he will definitely have some supporters out there.

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Roseanne Barr

Roseanne Barr is a comedic genius, and there’s no doubt that the American people love her. But apparently the good people of the United States don’t love her enough to elect her as the POTUS. In 2011, Barr announced that she would be running on the Green Tea Party ticket. Although she didn’t make it past the primary, she was able to earn a surprising amount of support.

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Wyclef Jean

Former Fugee, Wyclef Jean, has always been known for being socially aware. So in 2010 when he announced that he’d be running for president of his home country, Haiti, many people weren’t that surprised. However, although he was born in Haiti, his presidential run was met with mixed reviews from people who felt he shouldn’t be able to become the president of Haiti because he had not lived in the country for some time. Eventually, his bid for presidency was overturned.

 (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Fred Thompson

Actor Fred Thompson has had a pretty successful career as in politics. Unfortunately; however, he wasn’t able to transfer that success over to his 2008 presidential run. After gaining little support, Thompson decided to withdraw from the race before the primary vote was taken.  When withdrawing his candidacy, Thompson announced, “Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.”

(Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Variety)

Former president, Ronald Reagan, is a bit of a different case than the others on this list. Of course, you knew that he ran for president (if you didn’t you might want to crack open a history book), but what you may not have known is that he was a celebrity long before he ever entered into a career in politics. Throughout the 50s and 60s, Reagan was a prominent film and TV actor who won one Academy Award and was nominated for several others.

Bob Dornan

Although he starred in the 1964 film, The Starfighters, Bob Dornan is known best-known for his career in politics. Currently serving as a member of the House of Representatives, Dornan too a stab at the presidential election in 1996. After failing to win the nomination, Dornan ran for reelection to the house, which he also lost.

Pat Paulsen

Comedian, Pat Paulsen, rose to fame during the 60s with his unique brand of satire. However, his funny guy imagine and inability to put together a serious campaign made his chances of ever becoming president very slim.  Paulsen ran for president several times before his death in 1997, and although he was an entertaining candidate, he never actually came close to winning.

(Photo by Michael Evans/The White House/Getty Images)

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