Clay Aiken has announced that he will be running for Congress as a Democrat later this year.
The 43-year-old - runner-up on American Idol in 2003 - previously ran in the 2014 race, losing 41% to 59% to the Republican candidate in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District.
In a video posted to his website, Aiken revealed that he will seek election in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District - a more left-leaning area, although with at least seven other Democratic candidates planning to stand.
Speaking to Variety about his decision to run, Aiken admitted that he was motivated to enter the race after hearing a speech by NC's "empathetically-challenged" lieutenant governor Mark Robinson.
"He gave a speech in which he said, 'What is the purpose of homosexuality? What purpose do homosexuals serve?'" Aiken recalled. "I watched that sort of with just dumbstruck awe that someone could be so ignorant.
"After watching it, I said, you know, 'I got your purpose, bitch. I will show you.'"
The election is due to be held on November 8.
Neil Wilkes
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