Shelby Campbell, a Democratic candidate running for Michigan's 13th congressional district, has fired back at critics who accused her of using provocative TikTok dances to gain votes. The 32-year-old single mother, who describes herself as an 'honest politician,' has posted videos of herself twerking alongside campaign messages.
Campaign Strategy or Misogyny?
Campbell's social media presence includes clips where she dances on kitchen counters and uses explicit language. In one video, she called herself a 'classy b****,' while another featured her smiling to a song with explicit lyrics. The conservative account Libs of TikTok mocked her approach, asking if her 'campaign strategy' was 'twerking for votes.'
Campbell responded defiantly, posting a video of herself twerking upside down in what appeared to be her campaign office, set to Big Sean's 'Dance (A$$) Remix.' She wrote, 'Thanks for sharing my twerking video, Libs of TikTok. I LOVEEEE the publicity y'all are giving me.'
Backlash and Support
Critics flooded her comments with insults, calling her a 'lunatic' and an 'attention seeker.' One commenter noted that prediction markets gave her only a 5% chance of winning. However, Campbell remains unbothered, stating, 'It's all I will be doing till November. Thank you.'
Supporters have rallied behind her, with one declaring, 'Seen enough. You have my vote.' Campbell previously announced in March that her campaign manager had asked her to stop the twerking videos, but she has continued.
Background and Platform
Campbell is running to replace Democratic Representative Shri Thanedar, who represents Detroit and its suburbs. She faces a crowded primary on August 4 against Donavan McKinney, Anthony Carbonaro, and John Goci. Her platform focuses on women, children, public education, and working families.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Campbell attributed the criticism to misogyny, saying, 'I am not ashamed of being a woman with a body, a voice, or a personality.' She added that she is running to represent 'working-class women, mothers, survivors, tipped workers, dancers, servers, bartenders, and women who have been talked over for generations.'
