Drew Carey: From 'The Price is Right' to the Senate?

Libertarian-minded conservatives are trying to draft comedian Drew Carey, host of "The Price is Right," to run against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), one of the Senate's most reliably liberal members, in 2012, Politico reports. Carey is "Ohio's favorite son," says conservative activist Josiah Schmidt, who points out that Carey has advocated fiscal policies indicating he would "spare no sacred cows" to reduce the size and role of government. Schmidt recently set up an "Operation Draft Drew 2012" website and Facebook page, which quickly attracted hundreds of fans. Republicans have no other big-name contender yet. Should Carey give it a shot?

This is change we can believe in: Drafting Carey "sounds like a good plan," says Greg Victor at Parcbench. He's known in Ohio for his limited-government views, and his past support for the libertarian hero Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). Carey has never hinted that he has political plans, but a viral campaign might be the push he needs. "Hey — it got Betty White on Saturday Night Live, right?"

"Drew Carey (Rep. from Ohio in 2012) — Why not? Whose Senate is it anyway?"

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But would he trade showbiz for politics? This isn't as far-fetched as it sounds, says Jason Pye at United Liberty. Carey presented some interesting "public policy solutions on issues like transportation, the war on drugs, and immigration" in recent documentaries with the libertarian Reason Foundation. The questions is whether he'd give up his "lucrative career" to run. Don't count on it.

"Drew Carey for Senate?"

Carey '12? Not gonna happen: Sure, Carey's in the final year of a five-year agreement to host "The Price is Right," says Nick Ramsey at MSNBC. But his publicist Christina Papadopoulos this week shot down the idea of a Senate bid, saying, "Drew's not running for any office." Sounds definitive... though of course, there's still plenty of time for him to change his mind.

"Come on down, Senator Carey!?!?"