'Law & Order: SVU' Star Diane Neal Is Running for Congress: 'It's Going to Be a Wild Ride'
Diane Neal is throwing her hat into the political ring.
The actress, best known for her role as Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak on Law & Order: SVU, took to Twitter on Tuesday to declare her intent to run for a congressional seat in New York.
"Ok, so it’s ON!!! But I’m doing with nearly no staff, no donations (yet), with no party," Neal, a registered Democrat, tweeted. "Website will be up later today (fingers crossed) and all ready to go. But goal is bigger than parties. Goal is no negativity. Goal is HIGH ROAD all the way."
Neal, 42, followed that up with another tweet, sharing her first campaign poster and explaining how she's been preparing for the transition into the political arena.
"And that’s why I dropped off social- to think, read, write, ponder. Reacquaint with every bit of Political Phil., History and Ethics from The Republic to Rackove. To make a plan for us worthy of American Ideals," she shared.
"It going to be a wild ride. I’ll be beholden to no one but US and to integrity & to the best version envisioned by imperfect, but wise, men centuries ago," Neal continued. "Let the Grand Experiment live on!!!"
As to the flurry of activity among her and her team, Neal shared, "There are literally only three of us that have been working around the clock for weeks and weeks to get all campaign infrastructure up and running. I’m looking at screens so much my eyes might explode. (It’s not really a thing, but it feels like it could be!)"
The actress, who lives in Hurley, New York, is running for the state's 19th congressional district seat, where Republican John Faso currently serves as the U.S. Representative. Republicans have held the seat since 2011.
Neal made sure to respond to critics and residents of the 19th district on Twitter, including one Twitter user who wrote, "We don't need or want an outsider, so I hope you have deep roots in the communities here."
"I hear you. I actually live here. Full time. For years. No other places. I don’t want an outsider looking for an easy seat either," Neal wrote, adding, "For peeps I live with in #NY19, I have been active and all your questions are totally valid and worth answering/discussion."
Neal's run for Congress could draw the attention of comedian Chelsea Handler, who recently announced she was ending her Netflix series to focus more of her attention on "becoming a more knowledgeable and engaged citizen" and working to help more women get elected to public office.
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