Dem candidate Clay Aiken deletes tweet about punching Ann Coulter ‘in the face’

Democratic congressional candidate Clay Aiken has reportedly deleted a tweet in which he fantasized about punching conservative author Ann Coulter “in the face.”

“Anyone else watching @piersmorgan want to punch Ann Coulter in the face?” the former “American Idol” runner-up tweeted in October 2012, The Daily Caller reported.

The tweet was first flagged by a blog that found other instances of celebrities re-tweeting Mr. Aiken’s comment, including Arsenio Hall.

“You and Ann should do a political version of ESPN’s First Take!” he replied.

Mr. Aiken won the North Carolina Democratic nomination last week with a lead of less than 400 votes, just one day after his main contender, Keith Crisco, was found dead in his home.

Now the Democrat is set to run in November against Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers, who has represented the conservative district for two terms so far.

BuzzFeed reported earlier this year that Mr. Aiken had deleted a number of tweets ahead of his congressional run, but the report didn’t mention the one about Miss Coulter, The Daily Caller said.

One of the deleted tweets said: “Playing drinking game with my brother now. We drink every time we see a black person on screen at the RNC convention. #soberasamormon.”

And another about Michelle Obama: “She just whooped Ann Romney’s ass so hard that Ann’s horse felt it!!! #michelle2016.”