“The idea of running for office and being a politician kind of makes me throw up in my mouth a little,” admits Alexandra Hunt with a sheepish grin. It’s an unorthodox take from a woman currently running for Congress to represent Pennsylvania’s 3rd district (PA-03). Then again, unorthodox is kind of her brand.
Since announcing her candidacy as the first known former sex worker to run for Congress last February, Hunt, 28, has become recognised by the public as a “former stripper” and “trauma survivor”, identifiers that harken back to Hunt’s decade-old stint as a dancer to help put herself through college at the University of Richmond. Suffice to say, however, she’s made relative peace with being regarded as such – even poking fun at the often puritanical sensationalism of it all via “Elect Hoes” merchandise and a series of expository TikToks. For Hunt, it’s not so much a scarlet letter as it is a way to connect with people who keenly understand that existing in the current US landscape is more expensive than ever – from skyrocketing costs in education to healthcare to housing – and quite simply, sex work in all of its varying forms has become more common as a result.
