Clay Aiken, forever the runner-up.
After placing second to Ruben "Sorry For 2004" Studdard on American Idol in 2003 and falling short to Arsenio Hall on Celebrity Apprentice in 2012, Aiken fell into the all too familiar position when he tried his hand in politics.
Aiken ran for the Republican leaning congressional seat in North Carolina’s 2nd District. Aiken only made it to the general election because his main primary opponent passed away in May 2014. Aiken faced off against Rep. Renee Elmers and lost to her by over 17 percent of the vote.
On Tuesday night, Esquire premiered a docu-series on Aiken’s highly entertaining run for office.
At one point, Aiken walks out of his over-the-top campaign bus to greet a small group at one of his campaign stops. There, Aiken’s worst fears appear sporting a backpack and blue shorts: a "tracker."
"Do you see that douchebag with the blue shorts? He’s with the enemy. He’s trying to catch me doing something stupid," Aiken told a campaign aide.
America Rising PAC hired the tracker to follow Aiken around. Aiken, while familiar with cameras focusing on him, expressed the grief that the tracker gives him.
"Every time that tracker comes around it’s like my butthole clenches up! I can’t talk," a flabbergasted Aiken said.
Trackers have become a regular part of the political process ever since George Allen referred to one as a "macaca" in a campaign stump speech. Allen was attacked for using a "racial slur" towards Jim Webb’s Indian-American staffer who followed Allen around throughout the campaign. The Republican was expected to win until his comment provided an opening for Webb.
Webb’s tracker was credited for the upset victory and ever since, trackers have followed candidates at every campaign stop, hoping to catch the candidate stumble. The additional pressure often causes reactions by candidates. Trackers are encouraged to do whatever they can to get under the skin of both candidate and staff.
Aiken will not let his fear of part-time hired college students with cameras stop him from serving the people, however. He said he is still ready to fight for his constituents by pursuing another run sometime in the future.
"I imagine I'd get involved and run for something again," Aiken said.