A Democratic candidate for the North Carolina state legislature remains on the ballot despite her party’s disavowal following the resurfacing of provocative social media posts. The North Carolina House Democratic Caucus and a local party committee publicly condemned Shelly Headen for her comments, which included calls for attacks on red states in the U.S., and a disturbing comparison of President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler.
Although the party’s formal support is gone, Headen can’t be removed from the race because the withdrawal deadline was August 20, and the finalized general election ballots have already been distributed to voters starting September 4.
Headen, who is up against Republican state Rep. John Blust for the House District 62 seat in Greensboro, made controversial posts last year, suggesting that the only solution to the current political climate was an attack on American soil, specifically targeting states like Alabama and Louisiana. In separate statements, she claimed Trump’s impact was nearing that of Hitler’s and argued that the “MAGA cult” might be more damaging than the Nazis.
According to reports, one of her posts included a photo of her visiting the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, with the caption implying that’s where Trump supporters belong. When questioned about this particular post, Headen claimed it had been altered and denied having shared it.
Headen’s earlier remarks sparked renewed attention after the White House Rapid Response account, which supports Trump, highlighted them on X, accusing Democrats of being “sick people.” In response, North Carolina Republican US Senate nominee Michael Whatley criticized former Governor Roy Cooper, pointing out Headen’s comments as evidence of a broader problem, suggesting users should follow responsible discourse.
Cooper’s campaign quickly distanced him from Headen, emphasizing that he denounces all forms of political violence and recognizes the need for responsible speech from all candidates.
Headen, a certified public accountant and business owner, spoke to a local public radio station, expressing that she didn’t recollect her posts and offered apologies to anyone they may have offended. She also stated that while she understood the party’s decision to withdraw support, she saw her prior comments as merely “a few angry moments.”
In a more personal statement, Headen likened her sacrifices in the public sphere to those of historical figures like Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr. She seemed resolute that her messages were a necessary stand for what’s right, even if it cost her political backing.
After the controversy erupted, the North Carolina House Democratic Caucus asserted that Headen’s remarks were unacceptable and did not align with the party’s values, formally withdrawing any support for her campaign. The Guilford County Democratic Party echoed this sentiment, categorically rejecting her statements and stopping all forms of financial and organizational support.
In recent statements, Headen conveyed that she had been receiving death threats and preferred to focus on her safety and that of her family, noting that her social media accounts have been disabled. The Republicans, highlighting her controversial past, called her comments “absolutely disgusting,” and questioned her fitness for public office.
The attention on Headen isn’t just limited to her social media posts. There’s also scrutiny surrounding domestic incident reports involving her and her husband, which list her as a suspect in a physical assault case. Headen described the situation as a private matter that was being exploited for political advantage.
