Jedidiah Duggar made a big announcement on Sunday–and no, he isn’t entering into a courtship.
The 20-year-old Counting On star (and tenth child of Jim Bob and Michelle) announced his candidacy for Arkansas State Representative District 89 in Springdale, Arkansas, on Instagram–a platform typically used only by courting or married Duggar kids, with the exception of 29-year-old Jana.
Jed also posted a video to follow-up his announcement, in which he touted his experience as a local small-business owner and provided a rundown of the focus points of his candidacy–lowering taxes, supporting the 2nd Amendment, growing the economy, advocating for conservative values and (of course) being “an advocate for the unborn.”
Upon announcing his candidacy, Jed, who claims to run a used car dealership in Arkansas, received quite a few comments on social media from people who had some thoughts on his current living situation (aka the Duggar Compound), as well as the financial assistance he’s received from his parents. People were also outspoken about the fact that Jed has lived a sheltered life, being homeschooled and never living outside the Duggar Bubble.
“I don’t think I’ve ever voted [for] a state representative that still lives with his parents,” one person commented, while another questioned if Jed’s “local small-business” was “given to [him] by [his] daddy.”
Jed’s motivation for seeking the District 89 Seat was also questioned and the same individual offered some advice to the 20-year-old to “expand your views beyond what you’ve been taught.”
On his candidate website, Jed goes on to mention the opioid crisis in the United States, specifically young people that are “most susceptible,” and how he plans to combat this issue if elected.
” … I will work to implement sound, commonsense, and life-saving policies so that we might save the next generation from this deadly epidemic,” he wrote.
Once again, Jed was met with some critics on social media who doubted his experience on the issue given his sheltered upbringing.
“Fighting the opioid crisis? You haven’t even left your parents’ house,” one comment read. “You haven’t worked in a rehab center or even spoken to recovering addicts. What could you possibly know about a complex public health issue?”
Jed’s assumed lack of knowledge in the area of the opioid crisis wasn’t the only thing he was slammed for online, as others doubted his understanding of things such as religious liberty and reproductive health as well.
“For someone with barely a high school education I’d be very surprised if you actually understood things like understanding female reproductive system anatomy and it’s functions,” one comment read. “I also know for religious liberty you only care about Christianity and not our Jewish, Muslim and other religious siblings. Do you even know the first thing about opioids? The public health nature? Again highly doubt it. You are someone who only care about an agenda you’ve been spoon-fed your entire life.”
Jed’s opponent for the November 2020 election will be incumbent Democrat State Representative Megan Godfrey–a married mother of two who, according to her candidate website, graduated from the University of Arkansas cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish before getting her Masters from Loyola Marymount University in elementary education. She is currently working on her Ph.D.
Megan claims to see “diversity as an asset” and believes in “supporting families through protected and expanded healthcare coverage, wages that allow families to better provide for their kids and programs that help families get ahead.” Her platform also focuses on inclusiveness, community safety and expanding educational opportunities for kids statewide.
Though Jed has not held an elected position himself, he points out on his website that he served as the campaign manager for Senator Bob Ballinger’s successful 2018 State Senate bid and the year prior, he was a legislative assistant at the Arkansas State Capitol during the 2017 legislation session. (He is also always good for weird commentary and soundbites during interviews for ‘Counting On.’)
Jed has also undoubtedly received some pointers from Jim Bob, given his own time in office. Jim Bob served as a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002. He went on to be defeated (badly) for the Republican nomination in his 2002 run for U.S. Senate by incumbent Tim Hutchinson. (The vote was 71,576 to 20,546.)
(Photos: Instagram, TLC)
22 Responses
But guys- he worked REALLY hard to grow some scruff in order to not look like he’s 12. He probably waited for at least a year to announce his candidacy while he waited for it to grow the 57 hairs that are there.
Patrick Kennedy, Ted’s son ran for the Rhode Island house and won when he was 21. Realistically if you have name recognition and funding you can make it work. And ultimately the people of his district will get to decide if they want him to represent them or not. Personally I am glad to see one of them pursing a career outside of appearing on Counting On.
I would much rather they stick to TLC shows and not be elected into any positions of power ever
He ain’t no Kennedy….
So will Jim Bob be chaperoning him along the campaign trail? What if God forbid he meets a woman and she wants to go for a drink? Will his response be, “Not without my Daddy.”
This is so stupid.
Replace “daddy” with “Mother” and you’ve got Mike Pence
Hurry up and type your comments, all the Duggar children are being forced to thumb down all these comments by JimB0ob and “joyfully available” Michelle.
A kid that never left his house even for attending school, isn’t old enough to drink, his only “job” was working for his father, REALLY thinks he’s mature enough for being a representative?? What the hell does he know of the opioid crisis? What the hell does he know about literally ANYTHING?? This is all JB’s doing, is disgusting.
The beauty of democracy is that anyone can run. Look at us in Canada.. Our PM was a substitute drama teacher riding on the coattails of his daddy. Age doesn’t matter much. It’s knowledge and information. My brother ran in his early 20’s and was threatened by a veteran politician for calling out his inconsistencies
This will last exactly as long as it takes for Daddy to get this young’un set up to court some willing young fundy chick. As viewership of their pathetic show continues to erode, it’s a new avenue for bringing attention to this disturbing family of bigots. It might look like ole JimBlob is diversifying revenue streams, but as soon as he’s picked out the next marriage sacrifice, the TLC cameras will take over, and we’ll get some exciting footage of the politician and his honey-bunny on the campaign trail. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out this doomed run for office was scripted by the show’s producers and the campaign coffers filled by TLC. I am running the story-boards in my head, LOL.
Attention is what this family lives for, it’s how they pay the bills. Hey, Jimbob, show us yer contract.
It’s not uncommon in small towns to have inexperienced candidates.
I’m sure the voters will decide what’s best for their community.
Ouch!
Why do the Duggar boys all seem to go from greasy spotty kids to tired balding middle aged men overnight?
I literally have no idea what to say to this insanity. JFK caught shit for running for Congress in his late 20s and ethical or not, he was more educated and a veteran. He caught hell for running and a kid named Jed who can’t even drink yet (not that he EVER would ?) thinks he has a shot against a liberal, educated working mother? In America’s current political climate? ????? Everytime I hear his name I feel the urge to start singing The Beverly Hillbillies theme song…and even that family was better educated than the Duggars.
He has a chance because he lives in a rural area of the Bible Belt. All the (R) voters care about is he is able to regurgitate their key talking points and they’re fine voting for him.
I hope the incumbent gets a flood of donations because of this.
I only live about an hour away from the Duggars. Voters around me are getting sick of the Biblical Republicans and the Duggars have ZERO support from their community. They aren’t well liked AT ALL. Josh is a pariah and Jim Bob is looked at as a con man who flaunts local laws and zoning restrictions and than claims God told him to do it. It’s one of the reasons his political career crashed and burned. I heard a priest once refer to him as “a thief in the temple.” The robo anti-trans calls from Michelle and the fact that they boycott and picket local stores anytime they apply for liquor licenses just makes this whole thing more ridiculous. No one is gonna vote for this kid. Now, if they could vote the Duggars out of town they probably would. People don’t like the town being referred to as Duggarville.
I am pro life and will fight for sociopaths to own guns, but if they kill anyone it’s just because mental health y’all. SMH.
Where they live, liberal women are at a political disadvantage for those exact reasons. America’s current political climate is still perceived differently in certain places.
Oy.
Lord help us all, a Duggar in office! Guess, he’s going to make it alright for monster molesters to go unpunished!!!
Oh boy. He must b the ” chosen one” from the Dugger Fam to follow in dad’s political footsteps. Think the reactions to his candidacy are right on and they made me lol.
Well, looks like I’ll be making a donation to Megan Godfrey.