A Democratic candidate for the North Carolina legislature is still on the ballot, even after her party publicly distanced itself from her due to controversial social media posts that have come to light. The North Carolina House Democratic Caucus, along with a local party group, criticized Shelly Headen for her remarks that suggested violent actions against red states and made comparisons between President Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler.
Despite this backlash, Headen is remaining in the race because the deadline to withdraw was August 20, and the ballots for the general election were finalized and distributed starting September 4. Headen is vying for the House District 62 seat, currently held by Republican state Rep. John Blust, in Greensboro’s Guilford County. She had posted a year earlier that “our only hope is an attack on US Soil … preferably Alabama, Louisiana … where the stupid people live.”
In other posts, she claimed that Trump’s impact was nearing the level of Hitler and suggested that the “MAGA cult” might be more harmful than the Nazis. A Facebook post of hers, which featured her at the Dachau concentration camp memorial in Germany, included the phrase, “This is where Trump supporters belong.”
Headen later disputed the authenticity of that particular post, claiming to the Greensboro News and Record that the image was altered to include the offensive words. The situation reignited interest earlier this week when the White House Rapid Response account shared her comments on social media, labeling Democrats as “SICK PEOPLE!”
North Carolina Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley posted a picture of Headen alongside former Governor Roy Cooper, asserting that Cooper was standing by someone who had called for violence against Republicans, which he deemed un-American. Cooper’s team responded by condemning Headen’s remarks, labeling them “reprehensible” and underlining the need for responsible discourse.
Headen, who is a certified public accountant and small business owner, acknowledged to WFDD that she didn’t quite recall making those posts but expressed regret to anyone offended by her statements. She also recognized the party’s choice to withdraw its support for her. However, she later defended her comments in an interview, calling them “a few angry moments.” Headen went on to equate her situation to sacrifices made by notable historical figures, claiming that if these posts led to her defeat, so be it—arguing that failure to stand up for something worthwhile would allow “MAGA” to keep winning.
Her past comments led the North Carolina House Democratic Caucus to state that her remarks were “unacceptable” and did not align with the values expected from candidates. They formally withdrew support for her campaign. The Guilford County Democratic Party echoed this sentiment, condemning Headen’s statements and cutting off all backing for her candidacy.
Amid the controversy, Headen reported receiving death threats and shared her distress in a recent article, explaining her feelings of a collapsing world. She also mentioned that she removed her social media accounts, expressing concerns for her and her family’s safety.
Republicans have highlighted this situation, with North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall calling Headen’s comments “Absolutely disgusting.” The North Carolina House Republicans made statements suggesting that Headen’s call for violence indicated a deeper problem, while some conservative social media users argued that she should withdraw from her campaign entirely.
This incident isn’t the only recent issue for Headen, as State House Republicans also revealed reports regarding alleged domestic incidents involving her and her husband. Headen described these arguments as misunderstandings during a stressful period in their marriage, asserting that they had escalated to physical confrontations.
She characterized herself as a victim of abuse and contended that Republicans were exploiting her family’s challenges for their political agenda.
