Tareq Salahi knows how to keep his name in the news. The former cast member of Bravo's "Real Housewives of D.C." announced his intentions Wednesday to run for governor of Virginia in 2013.
His camp says he has filed the necessary paperwork, but he still has time before making it official — the state's elections board can't accept declarations of candidacy until the same year the vote is held.
Also read: Bravo Evicts 'The Real Housewives of D.C.'
Salahi, who plans to run as a Republican, stressed politics over publicity as his reason for taking action. "As a Virginia native for the last 42 years, I am troubled to see how our current political figure heads continue to waste taxpayer dollars during these difficult economic times!" he said in a statement.
Salahi told the Washington Post Wednesday that his bid is to avenge a recent lawsuit brought against him by another GOP gubernatorial hopeful, Virginia Atty. Gen. Ken Cuccinelli II, over a business dealing.
“Its not part of reality TV. It’s not a stunt,’’ Salahi said in an interview with the Post. “It’s real.”
Of course, Salahi is first gained attention in 2009 with a high-profile political stunt that made headlines around the world when he and his now-estranged wife, Michaele, crashed a White House state dinner.