Business Side of Black Beauty: Pageant Winners’ Success Stories

Erika Harold Miss America 2003

Erika Harold former pageant winner went on to run for public office

After winning the Miss America pageant in 2003, Harold, a Harvard Law School grad, ran for national office seeking to represent the 13th District of Illinois in the House of Representatives.

Harold, a litigation attorney, replaced Rep. Tim Johnson as the Republican candidate.

She lost the primary, but her campaign enabled other beauty pageant contestants to later run for office.