Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Actress Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame playing Laura Ingalls Wilder on "Little House on the Prairie," announced she is running for Congress on August 10, 2015. Gilbert, a Democrat, looks to unseat freshman Republican Rep. Mike Bishop of Michigan's 8th District. Hide Caption 1 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Actor Steven Michael Quezada announced July 21 via Facebook that he is running as a Democrat for the Bernalillo County Commission Seat in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Quezada touts his service on the public schools board and as a community activist. Hide Caption 2 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Singer Clay Aiken of "American Idol" fame announced on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, that he'll seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District. Here, Aiken performs in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in December 2012. Here are other celebrities who have thrown their hats in the political ring: Hide Caption 3 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Hip-hop icon Wyclef Jean filed the paperwork to run for the president of Haiti in 2010, but Haitian officials ruled him ineligible as a candidate. Hide Caption 4 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Actor Ben Jones played Cooter Davenport in the television show "The Dukes of Hazzard." The Georgia Democrat went on to serve two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hide Caption 5 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Sean Duffy, the former "Real World: Boston" star, was elected to the U.S. House in 2010 and re-elected in 2012. Here, the Wisconsin Republican shoots a video of himself on the Senate steps In Washington. Hide Caption 6 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Talk-show host Jerry Springer was elected to the Cincinnati City Council in 1971. He resigned over a scandal involving his hiring of a prostitute but was later re-elected to the council and went on to become Cincinnati mayor. He later won greater fame for his tabloid talk show. Hide Caption 7 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Probably the most famous of all actors-turned-politicians, Ronald Reagan made more than 50 movies before being elected governor of California and eventually U.S. president for two terms, 1981-1989. He's pictured here in the TV show "Death Valley Days" in 1965. Hide Caption 8 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Clint Eastwood managed to make a few movies while serving as mayor of Camel-by-the-Sea, California, for one term in the 1980s. Here he's seen on voting day in 1986. Hide Caption 9 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Former wrestler Jesse Ventura was governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. Hide Caption 10 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – After Sonny and Cher fame, singer Sonny Bono became mayor of Palm Springs, California, He was elected as a U.S. congressman from California's 44 District in 1994. His political career was cut short by his death in a 1998 skiing accident. Hide Caption 11 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Actor Fred Thompson, known for his stint on "Law & Order," was a U.S. senator from Tennessee from 1994 to 2003. The Republican made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2008. Hide Caption 12 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – "Diff'rent Strokes" child star Gary Coleman put his name in the hat for governor of California in the much-publicized 2003 recall election that Arnold Schwarzenegger went on win. Hide Caption 13 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Action film star Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California in 2003. He finished his second term as governor in 2011. Hide Caption 14 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – In November 2007, television personality Stephen Colbert's presidential bid was cut short when he was denied a place on the ballot in South Carolina's Democratic primary . Despite making a mark in the polls, his campaign was viewed more as a publicity stunt. Hide Caption 15 of 17

Photos: Photos: Celebrity politicians Celebrity politicians – Former comedian Al Franken, one of the original writers on "Saturday Night Live," won a narrow race in 2008 to become a U.S. senator from Minnesota. The Democrat is running for re-election in 2014. Hide Caption 16 of 17