Infomercial pitchman Vince Offer - better known to late-night TV viewers as the "ShamWow Guy" - made a splashy but unsuccessful run for Congress Tuesday, losing the Republican primary in Texas' 31st Congressional District to longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter.
Carter, who has represented the Central Texas district since it was established in January 2003, turned back the celebrity challenger with relative ease, securing the GOP nomination and advancing to the November general election.
Offer, whose real name is Vince Schlomi, brought his trademark flair for attention to the race, but the campaign ended on a sour note. On Election Day, Offer posted on social media that he was suing the Texas Republican Party, claiming party officials had removed his nickname "ShamWow" from the primary ballot - a move he alleged was designed to limit voter recognition of his candidacy and benefit Carter. He called the situation a "rigged election by these rhinos." Party officials did not immediately respond to the allegations, and no supporting evidence was publicly provided alongside the claim.
The 31st District covers a wide swath of Central Texas communities, including Round Rock, Pflugerville, Killeen, Temple, Belton, Georgetown, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Lampasas, Llano and San Saba.
On the Democratic side, U.S. Army veteran Justin Early led his party's primary with roughly 57% of the vote, positioning himself as the likely Democratic nominee heading into November. Early has campaigned on protecting veterans' benefits, preserving Social Security, and reforming immigration policy. He previously served as Democratic Precinct Chair for Tarrant County.
Carter, a former federal judge first elected to Congress in 2002, enters the general election as a heavy favorite in a district that has reliably backed Republicans. No Democrat has won Texas' 31st District since its creation.