Conservative Hollywood Celebs Endorse Perry, Bachmann and Paul
GOP Candidates Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Ron Paul lead their rivals in securing the elusive support of conservative celebrities.
Republicans candidates are accumulating star endorsements from singers, actors and film makers.
Last month Bachmann picked of the enthusiastic support of entertainer Wayne Newton.
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“I watched the entire [Las Vegas] debate, and I don’t have to tell you how proud I was of [Bachmann] because not only did she hold her own, but she kind of stood alone and I’m not talking about being female,” He told FOX News host Greta Van Susteren.
He summed, “I will support this beautiful lady as long as she wants to go.”
The Minnesota congresswoman also has the support of actor and conservative activist Ben Stein. Stein gave at least $1,000 to Bachmann’s campaign. The maximum individual donation is $2,500.
Ron Paul has picked up celebrity endorsements from comedian and actor Vince Vaughn, musician Barry Manilow and Chuck Norris. Both Manilow and Norris praised him for his libertarian views.
Superman actor Dean Cain, meanwhile, praised Rick Perry’s record as Texas governor on FOX News and said “He’s got my full support.”
KISS band frontman Gene Simmons also said he believes Perry will be the next president.
Actor/ director Clint Eastwood told the Los Angeles Times that he likes Herman Cain’s story. “He’s a guy who came from nowhere and did well, obviously against heavy odds,” he said last month. “He’s a doer and a straight-talker, which I don’t see enough of from either party.” However, Eastwood shied away from making a formal endorsement.
Most notably, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have few celebrates endorsers.
Hollywood may appear to be a hub for liberal ideas, thoughts and stars, but there are some conservatives among America’s glitterati who are stepping into the spotlight to talk their Republican convictions.
In a recent GQ magazine interview, Eastwood reveals himself as a libertarian and “big business” lover.
Actor Kelsey Grammer told NBC Tonight Show host Jay Leno and CNN’s Piers Morgan that he felt that the tea party’s principles of fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets were “reasonable.” He also criticized the Democratic Party’s support for the “Occupy” protests, “You gotta go there because you got nothing to stand on if you haven’t done the job you said were going to do.”
Both men defined themselves as fiscal conservatives, not social conservatives. They agreed that Republicans should not discuss marriage as part of their party politics.
However, Republican candidate have yet to draw the same kind of support from conservative celebrities that Barack Obama has gotten from liberal celebs.
Last month, 90s-rapper-turned-Hollywood-megastar Will Smith and Los Angeles Laker legend Magic Johnson donated to Obama’s campaign, while actress Eva Longoria hosted a fundraiser in celebrity couple Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas’ home.
While liberal celebrities host fundraisers for the president, conservative stars are playing coy with Republican presidential candidates.
Earlier this year, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom tweeted that model Cindy Crawford had appeared in a campaign video. However, Crawford’s publicity team later told The Hill that she simply attended the event as a friend of Romney’s son, Taggart. Crawford supported Obama in 2008.
A few celebs have begun fundraising for and donating to the GOP candidates. Hollywood producer Craig Haffner has offered to arrange meet-and-greets for former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.
