Getty Michelle Duggar and Jim Bob Duggar in September 17, 2010.
Jim Bob Duggar, the patriarch on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” has announced he will run for Arkansas State Senate — and fans are not having it.
Jim Bob took to Facebook on Friday, October 29, 2021, to announce he’ll be re-entering politics by running for a state senate position.
“I am honored to announce my candidacy for Arkansas State Senate District 7. Northwest Arkansas is my lifelong home. It’s where my wife, Michelle, and I have raised our 20 children,” he wrote. “It’s where we’ve grown our small businesses. It’s where we’ve built a life centered around our faith, family, and friends.”
He plans to run on a “pro-family, pro-business, pro-gun and pro-life” campaign, according to the post.
This announcement comes amid a child porn case his son Josh Duggar is embroiled in. According to People, Josh was arrested in April 2021 and charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Josh pleaded not guilty to the charges, the outlet reported. This was not Josh’s only controversy. A 2006 police report revealed Josh had been investigated “inappropriately touching five underage girls” including his sisters Jill and Jessa, People reported.
Josh later admitted to cheating on his wife and having a porn addiction in August 2015, People reported.
“I have been the biggest hypocrite ever,” Josh wrote in a since-deleted statement on the family website. “While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife. I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him.”
According to Page Six, Josh’s trial will take place in November 2021.
Fans Blast ‘These Clowns’ as Jim Bob Announces Political Plans on Facebook
Fans did not hold back their thoughts on Jim Bob’s political plans blasting the father of Josh for running on a “pro-family” platform considering the controversy which has surrounded his eldest son.
“I wonder if campaign donations can be used to pay legal fees for your son,” one commenter wrote. Another Facebook user simply wrote, “These clowns.”
Another person wrote, “How could you even consider this with the despicable charges against your son? If my child was guilty of such things, this would be the last thing on my mind. What’s wrong with you? Seriously?”
“I really think he’s delusional,” wrote another. Similar sentiments about Jim Bob’s thought process were shared by others. “Can’t figure out if this is pure arrogance, complete denial, or both,” one person wrote.
“Can’t even run his own family,” according to one commenter.
Others felt that Jim Bob was in the race for the money and attention.
One person wrote, “Having cash flow problems and need some campaign donations and a job??” to which another replied, “Yup. That TLC money must have finally dried up.”
Jessa Duggar Shares Throwback Photo on Same Day Dad Announces Political Run
Jessa Duggar (now Seewald) took to Instagram to share a photo of her and her husband Ben on the same day her father announced he’d be making his return to politics.
“Came across this picture from 8 Octobers ago,” Jessa wrote. Jessa married Ben on November 1, 2014, after their courtship was featured on the show.
Jessa is one of 19 children to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and is the second eldest of the girls, the third eldest of all the children.
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