Former ‘American Idol’ star Clay Aiken recently announced he is running for Congress in North Carolina’s Second Congressional District.  ‘The Idol’ runner-up must fare better in the coming midterm election than he did in the finale of the popular show to secure a House seat.

Aiken, a Democrat, will run against incumbent Rep. Renee Ellmers-R, assuming they each win in the preceding primary election this coming May. Toni Morris and Keith Crisco plan to compete with Aiken in the primary as newcomers to the district.

In addition to the districts voting history, Aiken’s lack of experience may put him at a disadvantage to Ellmers’ campaign from the incumbent’s seat.

“His chances of winning are slim,” said Jason Husser, assistant professor of political science and assistant director of the Elon University Poll.  “If he does everything right and Ellmers does everything wrong, he might have a shot.”

But Aiken’s lack of experience could be outbalanced by his expressed desire to eliminate “wasteful spending” from North Carolina’s fiscal budget. But only if he has the know-how to do so, a sophomore suggested.

“If Aiken can eliminate wasteful spending in our government, then by all means he should be running for office,” said Chelsea Byron, sophomore and North Carolina voter.  “I just don’t think he has enough knowledge or experience to handle a position in Congress.”

But there may still be hope for the amateur politician.

“Plenty of politicians have been successful with a similar lack of experience,” Husser said.  “But the world is a complex place and House members need to be prepared to handle that complexity.”

In his video announcing his entrance into the race, Aiken shared his experience as a special education teacher for kids with autism.  He also worked with the United Nations International Emergency Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Somalia and Afghanistan.

His qualifications also include his appointment by President Bush to a presidential commission that addressed the educational challenges for children with special needs, which Aiken has capitalized on in catering to right-wing voters.

The looming question that has been circulating since Aiken’s announcement to join the race is what sort of effect his fame will have on his campaign.

“I just don’t think someone in the entertainment industry should be running for office because I think they would get votes for the wrong reasons,” Byron said.