James Holzhauer endorses Kamala Harris, causing major reactions

James Holzhauer has announced that he is completely ready Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election in an unexpected and rare break with Danger! culture.

The Las Vegas native, a professional sports gambler, WWE fan and one of Danger!‘s most famous contestants, took to X on Tuesday, October 29. Instead of his usual preference for sharing a funny meme or insulting Ken Jennings or a show rival, he decided to announce his support for the Democratic candidate. This is the first candidate Holzhauer has publicly endorsed since his famous 32-day winning streak in 2019.

Still, he couldn’t resist using a little self-deprecating humor in his post. “Your favorite Jeopardy champion wants you to vote for Kamala Harris,” Holzhauer wrote. “I also want you to vote for Kamala Harris. Do it for both of us.”

Your favorite Jeopardy champion wants you to vote for Kamala Harris

I also want you to vote for Kamala Harris

Do it for both of us

— James Holzhauer (@James_Holzhauer) October 29, 2024

The post scored 16,000 likes within the first hour, with his fans flooding the comments section, shocked by the urgency and political statement from a contestant who achieved mega-fame on a remarkably apolitical quiz show.

“This will be my first election. I became a citizen a little over a year ago. The fact that my first vote goes to the first female president is surreal! #HarrisWalz2024,” read the top comment.

“Thanks for sharing, but I’m going to vote for Kamala for my kids,” was another.

“I’m honestly shocked to hear this from you,” a third wrote, it seems Donald Trump supporter.

“Alex Trebek would have voted for Kamala,” claimed a fourth.

The approval was rare because Danger! remains largely out of politics. During its 60-year history, it has become known as an unbiased 30-minute safe haven for television (save for an errant joke from Jennings’ George Santos). None of the clues ever touch on current politics, and none of the onstage interviews get political either.

The most famous contestants and presenters generally endorse the candidates, even though they are 40-time winners Amy Schneider is known for being outspoken and visited the White House during Joe Biden’s presidency.

Late host Alex Trebek led this impartial position. He has never publicly endorsed candidates and is largely credited with creating the environment for that Danger! is today, even though he said in his memoir that he received endless fan mail from Republicans who thought he was a Democrat and vice versa.

“I vote for the person who I think is best suited to tackle the problems at hand. Modern politics pits us against each other,” he wrote. “It forces us to choose a side and has convinced us that our side is right and the other side is wrong. There is no room for compromise. That’s a shame. Because most of the world’s great achievements were not made by people who were sure of that.”

Meanwhile, Holzhauer rose to fame for his high-rolling style during his 2019 run, amassing all 10 of the highest single-day earnings in show history, regularly surpassing $100,000 every night on massive Daily Doubles bets and aggressive ‘Forest Bounce’ style play. .

He boasts the second-highest regular game revenue in history at $2.4 million, just under now-host Jenning’s $2.5 million (although Holzhauer did that in half as many games).

He went on to win the 2019 Tournament of Champions, compete in the 2020 GOAT Tournament, and win the inaugural Danger Masters special on ABC primetime in 2023. The 40-year-old could not repeat his success in Masters 2024, losing to fellow Chaser Victoria Groce.

Holzhauer donated $100,000 of his $500,000 Masters money to Project 150, which provides school supplies to underprivileged youth in the Las Vegas area, a cause close to the hearts of the Michigan native and his wife.