Move over, Obama. There may be a new politician on the prowl. OK, so he's not running for president, but Bachelor alum Ben Higgins may be planning to run for office — specifically Colorado's House of Representatives. Earlier this month, he confirmed to The Colorado Independent that he was "seriously considering" running. When news broke of Higgins and Lauren Bushnell getting a spinoff, the rumors seemed even more true. According to E! News, a press release for the show said Higgins would be looking into politics. So, what does one of his former Bachelor contestants think of this new development? Olivia Caridi shared the following statement with Bustle:
I can totally see Ben going into politics! He does lots of charity work and he cares about the needs of others, so I can absolutely see him being the voice for his own community and doing a great job listening to people and delivering results. I'd vote for him!
You hear that? Regardless of whether he actually runs, Higgins already has Caridi's vote. That's a solid start to his potential campaign. Who knows the reality star better than one of his ex-love interests? Plus, the fact that Higgins could break Caridi's heart and still get her vote says a lot about his character. Clearly she genuinely believes he's qualified. Higgins previously spoke highly of Caridi after the show ended, so it's nice they have one another's backs.
In her quote, Caridi raises a great point about Higgins' ability to listen and really connect with people. Over the course of his season, he met 28 women and got to know them as much as possible. He seemed sincere as he did so, like he truly cared what they were saying. It may sound bizarre to base someone's qualifications off of a reality show, but the way he treats and interacts with others is essential to being a politician, right? So those skills can totally translate from a screen to an office. Let's not ignore the fact that another reality star (aka Donald Trump on T he Apprentice ) is now the Republican frontrunner, so maybe TV preps you for politics after all.
Another important thing that Caridi highlights is Higgins' history of giving back. The 28-year-old did mission work in Honduras and volunteered with an organization called the Baker Youth Club. The group's mission is to "work with the youth of Kosciusko County to shape an educated, healthy, and social identity based on Christian values." If education, health, and social identity are areas that Higgins helps kids hone in on, he can bring that focus to politics as well. Aren't those valuable things to care about? I'd say so.
While fans will have to wait and see whether Higgins takes the leap and runs for office, at least he already has someone like Caridi in his corner.
