‘The Bachelor’ star Ben Higgins withdraws political campaign — but why?

Ben -Over the past month or so, much of the headlines surrounding former “Bachelor” Ben Higgins have been regarding his new-found political aspirations in the state of Colorado. He had decided to run as a Republican for a spot in the state’s House of Representatives, but new information has led to that coming to a screeching halt.

Specifically, here is what Higgins had to say in a statement on the matter:

“I regret that I must withdraw my candidacy … Despite my best efforts to pursue this opportunity in good faith, I recently received information that has made such a pursuit unworkable. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be able to move forward as a candidate. I find solace in knowing that our intentions and actions have been fair and sincere. I entered into this endeavor wanting to bring positive change to my community, and it is with that same spirit that I will move forward, albeit on a different path.”

While there is no official confirmation as to why he was forced to withdraw his candidacy, a source per the Denver Post claims that Disney, who owns ABC and “The Bachelor,” were “squeamish” regarding him embarking on a political career while also being a part of their brand. Maybe this would not have been such a big issue if he did not have a Freeform series coming up in “Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After,” but we could see possible conflicts of interest coming out of that. Plus, there are also ratings implications if people opt to not watch the series because of Higgins’ political beliefs.

We’ll see what happens with Ben’s career down the line; maybe after all of the reality TV hoopla comes to a close, we could see him embrace a political career a little more than he can at present.

For now, head over here to check out some more news on “The Bachelor,” including speculation over the next season of the show! Also, sign up over here to score some other TV news on all we cover, sent right over to you via our official CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ABC.)

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