Why the ‘ShamWow Guy’ Is Running for Congress—and What He Hopes to Do If He Wins

The “ShamWow guy” who for years graced Americans’ screens with his towel infomercials is running for Congress, where he vows he would combat “wokeism” in the U.S. Offer Vince Shlomi, 61, tells TIME that the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in September was the “catalyst” for his campaign to represent Texas’s 31st Congressional District. Shlomi was working on a skit called “Woke Busters,” a parody on the movie Ghostbusters about people “who destroy the ideology—the false ideology—of wokeism,” when he learned that Kirk had been killed, he says. The video criticizes diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and transgender rights, among other policies. At one point in the skit, Shlomi can be heard singing, “If you see a thong that has a shlong, who can you call? Woke busters.” “He is a woke buster,” Shlomi says of Kirk. “I felt like I have Charlie Kirk’s spirit in me, in a sense—or near me. It’s drawn me to do this.” “I guess I’m becoming the woke buster myself,” Shlomi continues. The former infomercial star has filed to run for the Texas House seat with the state’s Republican Party, though he hasn’t, as of Tuesday, filed with the Federal Election Commission. Shlomi admits that he still has to “work on” the specifics of his platform. The main tenet of his campaign, though, is combating “wokeism” in America, which he claims “is based on misinformation or false ideas in order to control people” and blames for creating “hate and fear” in society. If elected, he wants to tackle the suppression of conservative views that he believes is occurring on some social media platforms. He says he wants “kids to be happy,” and suggests that they learn about LGBTQ+ identities “later.” And he proposes implementing “video monitoring systems in the schools so parents can see what’s going on.” It’s unclear how Shlomi might seek to implement these policies if he were to win a seat in the House. And he faces an uphill battle in the race against longtime incumbent Rep. John Carter, a Republican who has held his seat in Congress for more than 20 years. Carter, 84, announced on Nov. 8 that he was running for re-election. But Shlomi appears to be unfazed by the prospect of running up against a seasoned public servant. “I’m sure he’s done some good things,” Shlomi says of Carter. “But I think what’s good about me is I always think outside the box.” “He’s what, 84? I’m 61. Sometimes I get a little tired. I can just imagine him in terms of his age,” he continues. “But if he does step down, maybe he’ll sponsor me or support me.” Shlomi has been the subject of controversy in the past. In 2009, he was arrested on suspicion of battery for allegedly punching a sex worker after she bit his tongue and wouldn’t let go. Neither he nor the woman were charged. He has previously acknowledged that the altercation was a “mistake.” Now, he says, he is “a better version” of himself. “I shouldn’t have went down the party path,” he says, but “in some ways, it’s a blessing in disguise.” “Now I’m on the right road, and I think it’s made me a better person and it gives me more motivation to get what I need to get,” he says. Shlomi describes his congressional run as “a parallel” to his television career. “I did such a good job at ShamWow and just being myself,” he says. “I’m just hoping that maybe this is, again, my calling.”