Politicians Who Competed on 'Dancing With the Stars' — Including Tom DeLay and Jerry Springer

Above all else, Dancing With the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy has one wish for the show.

While attending the iHeartPodcast "I Choose Me" live summit on April 25, the Ukrainian-American dancer openly called for fewer politicians in the hit ABC reality dance competition series.

"Less politicians," he told Us Weekly. "One of the things I admire about our show, I love being a part of the fact that in a world quite literally designed to split us all apart and create agony amongst people, we're a show that creates union and brings people together. Yes, it's just a dance show, but it's way more than just a dance show."

Chmerkovskiy added, "Dance is just a vehicle to bring people together — of all ages, all political sides. No one knows who's voting for who, and we're all just enjoying ourselves and enjoying two hours a week of just good family fun."

Following Chmerkovskiy's remarks, OK! looked back at the politicians who have appeared on DWTS over the years.

Former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer competed on the third season of DWTS alongside pro Kym Johnson. During his stint on the show, he danced to Charlotte Church's "Habañera" and Patti Page's "Tennessee Waltz."

"This is the first time I've done TV being myself," he told The Cincinnati Enquirer in 2006. "My TV show isn't really me or about me. I just introduce the guests and let them go at it."

Springer added, "I try to do all of the dances well, but this one is more important to me… Obviously, everyone is a better dancer than I am."

Springer advanced to the Top 5 but was eventually eliminated in fifth place.

Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, joined the show's 23rd season following his unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He and his professional partner, Emma Slater, were eliminated during Week 3, finishing 12th place overall.

"My daughter is getting married on the 15th of October, and I can promise you I will look good on the dance floor for her," he said after his exit from the competition.

Years after stepping away from the podium, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was tapped to compete on DWTS Season 28 in 2019. However, the casting was widely criticized.

Tom Bergeron, who was the host of DWTS at the time, slammed the casting and revealed he had spoken with the executive producer as he wanted to keep politics out of the show.

"Chief among them was my hope that DWTS, in its return following an unprecedented year-hiatus, would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably decisive booking from ANY political affiliations," Bergeron wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He noted he "left that lunch convinced [they] were in agreement," adding, "Subsequently (and rather obviously), a decision was made to, as we often say in Hollywood, 'go in a different direction.'"

"It is the prerogative of the producers, in partnership with the network, to make whatever decisions they feel are in the best long-term interests of the franchise. We can agree to disagree, as we do now, but ultimately it's their call," Bergeron added in the lengthy post. "I'll leave it to them to answer any further questions about those decisions."

In response to the backlash, the Donald Trump administration alum expressed his hopes that viewers would "put policy and politics aside."

He also told Mediaite, "I'm going out and having some fun. I'm going to enjoy myself, and if more people like me, then that's great. I'm very happy with who I am. I'm very happy with the friends that I have."

Spicer added, "The idea that I need this to make myself feel better is preposterous. I'm in this because I enjoy it. I'm very comfortable with who I am, what I believe and who I support, and that's it."

He was ultimately voted off after eight weeks on the show, placing sixth overall.

Partnered with Cheryl Burke, Republican politician Tom DeLay moved and grooved during DWTS Season 9 in 2009. He dropped out of the show in Week 3 after being diagnosed with stress fractures in both feet.

"I'm really disappointed I can't go any further," DeLay said. "[But] you have to practice in order to be in this competition. It was too hard. I decided it was time to bow out."