‘ShamWow’ guy running for Congress in Texas as a Republican

November 24, 2025 – Vince Offer “ShamWow” Shlomi — better known to millions of late-night TV viewers as Vince Offer, the energetic infomercial pitchman behind the ShamWow towel — has officially entered the 2026 race for Congress. He filed paperwork to run as a Republican in Texas’ 31st Congressional District, aiming to challenge longtime GOP Rep. John Carter.

The initial SlapChop “infomercial” directly sold 50,000 units and secured orders for another 50,000 units to be sold in stores. The company has generated millions in total sales since the product’s release, with one source reporting its revenue as $7.3 million.

In announcing his candidacy, Shlomi framed his campaign as a fight against what he calls “wokeism,” saying he was inspired by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whom he referred to as the “original woke buster.” He has released provocative videos, including a parody called “Woke Busters,” in which he plays a ghost exterminator fighting progressive ideas.

Shlomi made his name in the early 2000s with high-octane infomercials for products like the ShamWow towel and the Slap Chop kitchen gadget. He later faced controversy — including a 2009 arrest in Miami Beach — but in recent years has shifted back into entrepreneurship, running his marketing firm Square One Entertainment.

His entry adds celebrity flair to a crowded Republican primary for a reliably red district north of Austin and stretching to Temple and Fort Hood.