The ShamWow Guy Personally Spent $94 Per Vote in His Texas Election Flameout

Being a minor celebrity doesn’t guarantee anything in politics. Just ask Offer Vince Shlomi, a.k.a. the “ShamWow Guy.”

Shlomi spent more than $300,000 of his own money on his Texas 31st Congressional District Republican primary campaign, according to new Federal Election Commission records — only to witness his competition obliterate him last month at the ballot box.

In the end, Shlomi earned fewer than 3,200 votes. That works out to more than $94 per vote in a losing effort in which Shlomi finished sixth in a field of 10 candidates.

Incumbent Rep. John Carter easily won the primary in a decidedly red district that includes a large swath of Texas north of Austin and southwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

While his official congressional committee name is “Offer Vince ShamWow Shlomi for Congress,” per FEC records, Shlomi’s nickname didn’t appear on the Republican primary ballot — and Shlomi is suing the Republican Party of Texas over the omission.

“Rigged election by these rhinos,” Shlomi wrote on X last month.

He said the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last year and his desire to fight “wokeism” in part prompted him to run. His platform included ending pornography on X, requiring more live customer service on corporate help lines and allowing children to pray in schools.

Shlomi could not immediately be reached for comment about his personal spending on his campaign.

Michael Bloomberg retains the title for the most high-profile recent federal election candidate to blow through massive amounts of their own money on an ultimately futile campaign, during his presidential run in 2020. But Shlomi’s cash burn for such a mediocre showing stands out among this year’s candidates.

Shlomi vaulted to national prominence nearly 20 years ago when he served as the fast-talking, slightly abrasive TV pitchman for the “ShamWow” chamois towel. He’s also promoted such products as the Slap Chop kitchen gadget and Schticky lint roller. Shlomi has also found himself crosswise with the law, including an incident in 2009 that got him arrested after he fought with an alleged prostitute.

He joins onetime “American Idol” finalist Clay Aiken, Dr. Mehmet Oz and musician Kanye West as celebrities who’ve unsuccessfully sought federal office.

Others, however, have been more successful in finding their second acts in politics, including singer Sonny Bono, actor Ronald Reagan, comedian Al Franken, MTV “Real World” star Sean Duffy and, of course, “The Apprentice” host and World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame member Donald Trump.