Well, if you thought political campaigns in 2025 couldn’t get any more ridiculous, buckle up. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist just dropped a TikTok campaign video that looks less like a call for leadership and more like a deleted scene from a reality show.
In the clip — which somehow passed through layers of staff, consultants, and maybe even common sense — Gilchrist stands back-to-back with Crockett while lip-syncing to the 90s alt-rock anthem “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes. Onscreen text declares, “POV you’re about to elect Michigan’s first Black governor.” And just as viewers might be catching their breath from that, Crockett steps out from behind him and launches into full Nicki Minaj mode with the line: “Bites ain’t sh and they ain’t sayin’ nothin’, A hundred mothafu**ers can’t tell me nothin’…”
Yes, you read that correctly. A sitting U.S. congresswoman is dancing and mouthing those lyrics to help a lieutenant governor get elected to the highest office in his state. Bold move. Let’s hope that’s not the official policy platform.
Warning: This video contains strong language.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, now running for Michigan governor, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett just dropped a rap video. One thing is glaringly missing from Crockett’s performance. Actual policies that would improve Americans’ lives. pic.twitter.com/yIgBWeMqgG
— Loomer Unleashed (@LoomerUnleashed) November 17, 2025
The reactions were swift — and brutal. New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino simply said, “Idiocracy was a documentary,” while conservative commentator Robby Starbuck imagined what the Founding Fathers might say if they had TikTok access in 1776. (Hint: it wouldn’t be applause.)
Radio host Justin Barclay chimed in with the kind of common-sense observation many Americans are probably thinking: “If one were seriously running for governor in Michigan, Jasmine Crockett wouldn’t be on your list to work with.” And Newsmax’s David Harris Jr. pointed out that Gilchrist’s punchline — “Trump can’t tell me nothin’” — somehow made it past every advisor and ended up front and center in a campaign reel featuring an actual sitting member of Congress.
It’s worth noting the White House itself recently played around with this same audio mashup in its own TikTok post. So maybe this is just the new DNC strategy — governing through choreography and clapbacks.
But while the internet dances on, Michigan voters may be left wondering what any of this has to do with, say, fixing roads, improving schools, or keeping grocery prices from climbing every time they blink. Gilchrist, who is already facing a crowded and competitive primary field, seems more focused on going viral than going deep on policy. And Crockett’s endorsement — complete with profanity-laced lyrics and an impromptu performance — doesn’t exactly scream “serious leadership.”
Still, Gilchrist appears to be courting the activist lane hard. Not only did he bring Crockett to Detroit for a fundraiser, but he’s also proudly secured the endorsement of Rep. Rashida Tlaib. And in what’s already being called a defining moment in the race, Gilchrist became the first Democrat in the Michigan primary to publicly call the conflict in Gaza a “genocide,” a word even the Biden administration has mostly avoided.
So let’s recap: a would-be governor kicks off his campaign with a profanity-laced TikTok featuring a congresswoman best known for shouting matches during House hearings. He touts endorsements from some of the most far-left names in the party. And he’s already jumping into the most divisive foreign policy issue on the table.
There’s nothing wrong with energy and visibility — both are part of modern campaigning — but turning a serious statewide election into a meme-worthy performance? That’s a choice. And one that Michigan voters will soon have to decide whether they find refreshing… or just flat-out embarrassing.
Either way, one thing’s for sure: when campaign strategy starts to resemble viral content more than a vision for the future, it might be time to ask who’s running the show — and who they’re really trying to impress.
