If you’ve been on TikTok or YouTube recently, you’ve probably seen posts about Trisha Paytas toying around with the idea of making a run for the Congressional seat in her district. (And if you’ve been taking a social media break, no, I’m not joking.) So, is Trisha Paytas actually considering a 2026 bid for Congress? It may seem unlikely, but she’s definitely known for having some pretty audacious goals. From rapping on America’s Got Talent to appearing on My Strange Addiction to making her own music, Paytas has already done a lot of out-there stuff, so maybe her getting into politics is less far-fetched than it sounds.Â
Paytas has been a social media personality for nearly two decades, with her podcast Just Trish reaching fans across the world every week. Her YouTube channel, where she first gained widespread recognition for her car vlogs and mukbang videos, has over five million subscribers. She’s not exactly known for serious political work, but that may soon change. In a YouTube video posted on Jan. 5, titled “2026 MANIFESTATIONS,” Paytas revealed she hopes to run for political office in 2026. “I would really love to run for [the] House of Representatives here in California,” Paytas said. “I really want to be able to truly make a difference because I see so much horrible stuff happening in the world and happening right here in California as well.”Â
She continued to talk about her political aspirations in a subsequent TikTok. In a video posted later on Jan. 5, Paytas said she is Googling how to run for Congress in 2026. In the TikTok, Paytas said being a mother inspired her to run. “I’m a mother with three kids and I really have a Generation Alpha and a Generation Beta,” Paytas said. “And they really need a better world, and a safer world.” She said her first goal would be to raise the required age for working in the adult entertainment industry to 25.Â
The comments on her pages were flooded with encouraging messages. Fellow social media personality Tana Mongeau simply commented “I’m voting” under her TikTok. Another user wrote, “I’m convinced there’s NOTHING this woman won’t achieve in this lifetime go for it girl.”
Paytas has made headlines for her political opinions in the past. She had a viral clip circulate in 2020 where she said she voted for Joe Biden because he quoted Hamilton… but the quote actually originated in the Declaration of Independence. According to People, she previously supported the 2012 Republican nominee for president Mitt Romney in a since-deleted video. Also per People, she shared support for Donald Trump in 2016 in a since-deleted video, and later withdrew her support in a 2019 video that has also seemingly been deleted.Â
If Paytas were to actually run she would need to complete nomination documentation and a declaration candidacy, collect 40-60 constituent signatures for nomination, and either pay a filing fee of $1,740 or waive the fee by collecting 1,740 signatures. Even though there seems to be a ton of hurdles for her candidacy, Paytas is known for doing pretty much anything she puts her mind to. I mean, if she can get cast in Euphoria, then running for office might not be the hardest thing she’s ever done.