Conservative actress Stacey Dash running for deeply Democratic House seat
It's an uphill dash for the actress, who has been teasing a run on Twitter.
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Actress Stacey Dash, an outspoken conservative, has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to run for Congress this year in a deep-blue House district just south of Los Angeles.
Dash, best known for her role in “Clueless” as the fashion-savvy Dee, registered her campaign committee “Dash to DC” on Monday to run in California’s 44th Congressional District.
It’s an uphill dash for the actress to say the least.
In 2016, the November general election featured a Democrat running against a Democrat because of California’s rule that the top two primary candidates – no matter what party – advance to the general election. Freshman Rep. Nanette Barragán only won by 52 percent in that contest against a fellow Democrat.
In that primary contest, the top Republican candidate came in sixth. Hillary Clinton won the district in the 2016 election with 83 percent.
California’s 44th district, which includes Comptom and East Comptom, is a majority Hispanic area with 69.4 percent of the population being of Latino descent. Blacks make up 15.12 percent while whites make up 7.9 percent, according the the U.S. Census.
Dash tweeted about her decision to run in that district. "Formal statements coming. For those mocking for the district I live in...open your minds. It’s time to for me to put up or shut up and I want to serve great people," she wrote. "I live in the 44th unlike some who don’t live in their districts. Thank you to those who offered their support."
Dash would be considered an unconventional candidate and not just because of her Hollywood background. Dash has posed for Playboy, which she has defended saying her children supported her decision.
And she has made controversial comments about Democrats, saying the party has a "plantation mentality" and transgender individuals should "go in the bushes" if they need a bathroom.
Dash has been teasing a bid for the past few weeks on her Twitter account.
“A number of people online and off have suggested I run for political office. I wanted to see what my online community thinks of this idea as I mull the possibilities. Thoughts?” she wrote on Feb. 9.
And, on Friday, she simply tweeted “Soon.”
She was born in the Bronx in New York City. She was a Democrat but switched her party affiliation in 2012.
Of making the switch, she told People magazine in July 2014: “I had been thinking about it for the four years after I voted for Obama. I really started paying attention to politics and how it directly relates to my everyday life. I realized that I wasn’t happy with what was going on so in 2012 I wanted it to go in a different direction. I realized that I am a Republican. First of all I am a capitalist, but second of all I am a Republican.”