A would-be mayoral run by a former reality TV star collapsed almost as soon as it had begun as she realized live on air that the election was years later than she thought.
Farrah Abraham, best known for her role on MTV's Teen Mom, abruptly scrapped her newly announced bid to become mayor of Austin, Texas after learning during an interview with TMZ that the election she was campaigning for does not take place until 2028.
Abraham, 34, had taken to social media earlier this week to announce she was running for mayor and filed official paperwork, promoting the campaign as if the race were imminent.
In an awkward moment in real time on TMZ Live, Abraham said she believed the election was taking place in 2026, before learning that Austin will not pick a new mayor for another two years.
The on-air realization triggered an immediate political retreat, with Abraham deleting campaign posts, amending official filings, and abandoning the mayoral race entirely within hours.
'The election's not until 2028. Why so early?' TMZ hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere asked.
Abraham responded both confidently, and incorrectly.
'For some reason, the mayor election is 2026,' she said. 'I don't know, that's just what the office told me as well.'
During an appearance on TMZ Live, hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere pointed out that Austin's next mayoral election is in 2028, not 2026.
As the interview went on, Levin instructed producers in the TMZ newsroom to contact Austin City Hall while Abraham remained on the video call.
Moments later, the verdict came back - and her campaign collapsed.
'So, Farrah, we just got this in our ear, the election is in 2028,' Levin told her. 'So I think you may have jumped the gun here.'
The revelation seemed to catch Abraham entirely off guard.
As the hosts attempted to explain the difference between federal, district, and municipal election cycles, which vary widely from city to city, Abraham visibly struggled to take in the information.
'I love that I jumped the gun,' she replied, simply smiling as the confusion played out.
Austin's current mayor, Kirk Watson, was elected in 2024 and is serving a four-year term.
Under the city's charter, the next mayoral race will not occur until 2028.
Abraham did her best to try and twist the situation to her advantage by describing it as an 'extra two year'
Abraham later amended her campaign filing to list 'District 5, November 2026' noting how she would instead be running for Austin City Council
TMZ later summed up the moment bluntly on social media, tweeting that Abraham appeared to learn about the correct election year from the show itself.
Within hours it seems Abraham's political plans pivoted.
Records from the Austin Office of the City Clerk show that Abraham initially filed paperwork on January 14 listing 'Mayor of Austin'.
The very next day, the filing was amended to read 'District 5, November 2026.'
It means Abraham is now making a possible run for Austin City Council instead.
Abraham's Instagram post announcing the mayoral run was also deleted while her social media bio was quietly updated to reference 'District 5.'
'So I'm not running for mayor,' Abraham said in a later interview with Fox News.
'It's local District Five, which I think is great. I had no idea that I was going to be switching and amending so quickly. But I'm happy that the city was open to it. And I'm very excited.
'I'm running for Austin City Council District 5 because our city has lost balance - we've gone soft on crime, driven up prices and left working families like mine struggling to keep up. Enough is enough,' Abraham said in a statement.
Abraham first rose to fame on MTV's 16 and Pregnant and later starred on Teen Mom
She cast herself as an outsider candidate hardened by years in the public eye.
'I've faced Hollywood drama, cancel culture and online trolls and I'm still here - ready to fight for Austin families who don't have lobbyists or insider access,' she said. 'It's time for a survivor mom who knows how to hustle and make real change.'
Abraham first entered the spotlight in 2009 on MTV's 16 and Pregnant, where her storyline was marked by personal tragedy following the death of her high school boyfriend shortly before the birth of her daughter, Sophia.
She went on to become one of the most recognizable and controversial figures on Teen Mom, later branching into other reality shows, music projects, and adult entertainment. She departed the MTV franchise in 2018.
The Daily Mail has contacted Abraham for comment.