Former TLC star and father of 19 children (and counting?) Jim Bob Duggar announced on Friday, October 29 that he is running for office in Arkansas.
The news came as a shock to critics who find it interesting timing amid his son Josh Duggar’s child pornography scandal.
“I am honored to announce my candidacy for Arkansas State Senate District 7.” Jim Bob wrote in his statement. “Northwest Arkansas is my lifelong home. It’s where my wife, Michelle, and I have raised our 20 children. It’s where we’ve grown our small businesses. It’s where we’ve built a life centered around our faith, family and friends.”
Jim Bob Duggar Running For Arkansas Office Amid Son, Josh’s Child Pornography Scandal
He went on to make it clear he is anti-vax mandate and very pro-gun and pro-life, but the trolls really came out to play when he tried to tout family values for why he is the perfect man to fill the recently vacated seat.
A reddit thread devoted to Jim Bob’s announcement saw critics cringe at the fact that the Duggar patriarch is using his children to prove strong family values while his eldest son has been in the headlines for years for his shady behavior and is currently awaiting trial for possessing child sexual abuse material.
Some naysayers are in “shock at the audacity of this crap” and one critic wrote on the Reddit thread, “I hope his competitor just holds up Josh’s mug shot every time he says any variation on ‘family values.’”
It is definitely interesting to see Jim Bob put himself in the line of fire and he has to know his family will be scrutinized as he runs for office.
One person who may not be quite so ready to face the backlash is Anna Duggar.
Some believe the embattled wife of Josh Duggar has given birth in secret to the child that was announced just days before word of Josh’s arrest became known. One clue is the fact that Jim Bob wrote in his running announcement that he is the grandfather to 22 kids. The latest birth in the litter is Jessa’s daughter, Fern, clocking in at 21. He could have meant 22 was on the way, but he should have actually written 23 if he was including pregnancies in the head count as son, Jedediah’s wife, Katey is also pregnant.
Some even wondered why he wrote he had 20 children when wife, Michelle gave birth to 19 surviving children. It is likely he was counting Michelle’s great-nephew, Tyler of whom they have gained legal custody.
Anna is/was due in the very vague timeline of fall and one “source’ claims to have seen Anna recently, no longer pregnant.
Whether Anna has had the kid in secret or not, both she and Jim Bob will be/are open to a ton of criticism, due to no real fault of their own.
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