Farrah Abraham and 7 Other Reality Stars Who’ve Jumped Into Politics
Farrah Abraham is jumping into politics.
On January 15, the Teen Mom told TMZ that she had filed paperwork to run for mayor of Austin, Texas. Unfortunately, for Abraham, her timing was a little bit off – the mayoral contest isn’t for another two years. But Abraham quickly pivoted, filing to run in the 2026 city council race instead.
“I reached out to the city and I just was like, ‘Hey, I’m very serious about this … I love this city and I want to get involved in and help where I live and breathe, and I know I can help because I’m making it, others seem to be struggling, and I want to jump in the mix,'” she told KXAN. “If I could be a district seat and I could be mayor at the same time, I probably would do it.”
Abraham has lived in Austin since 2013. She told KXAN that her primary issue was housing affordability.
The MTV star decision to pursue elected office isn’t unusual. Over the years, many reality stars have decided to make the leap from TV to politics. Here are some other notable reality TV personalities who’ve jumped into the political sphere.
Spencer Pratt
In January, Spencer Pratt announced that he was running for mayor of Los Angeles. Pratt and his wife, Heidi Montag, lost their Pacific Palisades home in the January 2026 LA wildfires. The Hills alum is challenging current mayor Karen Bass. He’s been vocally critical of the city’s current leadership and their response to 2025 disaster.
Jim Bob Duggar and Jed Duggar
For Jim Bob Duggar, politics came before reality TV. Duggar served in the Arkansas State Legislature from 1999 to 2003. In 2002, he was photographed with his large brood of kids when he was running for U.S. Senate. He lost that race, but won a career on television. Discovery Health produced multiple specials about Duggar, his wife Michelle, and their kids, who then numbered 14. Then came 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On.
Jim Bob’s son Jed Duggar tried to follow in his dad’s footsteps, running for the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2020. He lost to Democrat Megan Godfrey. Jim Bob ran for Arkansas State Senate in 2021. He lost. Counting On was canceled in 2021 after Jim Bob and Michelle’s eldest son, Josh Duggar, was arrested for possessing child sexual abuse material.
Donald Trump
Undoubtedly the most famous reality star turned politician is Donald Trump. The real estate mogul and host of The Apprentice launched his first run for president in 2015. He won the 2016 presidential election. He ran again in 2020 but lost to Joe Biden. In 2024, he defeated Kamala Harris and won a second term as president.
Sean Duffy
One member of Trump’s current cabinet also has a history in reality TV. These days, Sean Duffy is the Secretary of Transportation. But in 1997, he was a cast member on The Real World: Boston. He went on to appear in Road Rules: All Stars and Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes. In the early 2000s, he became a district attorney in Wisconsin and was later elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served from 2011 to 2019.
Caitlyn Jenner
Not all reality stars are able to successfully move from TV to politics. Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner appeared in Keeping Up With the Kardashians and I Am Cait. In 2021, she ran as a possible replacement for Governor Gavin Newsom during his recall election. The recall was unsuccessful, and Jenner earned just 1% of votes among replacement candidates.
Savannah Chrisley
Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley got involved in politics after her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, were sent to prison for fraud. She lobbied hard for their release, even speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention, and in May 2025, Trump pardoned the pair. Following their release, Savannah has teased a run for office, possibly for the U.S. House of Representatives. However, she’s yet to launch a formal campaign, saying that she wants to focus first on her various business ventures.
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