Politics has a much lower barrier to both celebrity and notoriety than being talented, beautiful, or genuinely lucky. And that’s why we have these characters. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/29/gaetz-greene-national-tour-rinos-485061

Matt Gaetz doesn't want to be a Congressman. He doesn't want to write bills and negotiate and get into the weeds on policy. He has zero interest in legislating or constituent services. Matt Gaetz wants power and fame and politics is the fastest way to get that in America.

American celebrity has gotten harder and more competitive. It's harder to go viral on platforms. It's harder to get people's attentions online and it's even harder to keep it once you get it. But not if you're a politician or an elected official or a prominent staffer.

Candidates who aren't verified before they run are verified when they get the nomination. You get a blurb explaining why you matter. You get primary placement alongside other blue checkmarks in people's feed and people will subconsciously take your opinions more seriously.

And if you lose or resign or leave in disgrace, they don't take your blue checkmark away. You get to keep it and you get to build your audience and grow that celebrity.

tl;dr is that we've put fame and celebrity in the hands of platforms and algorithms and that has flipped the incentives associated with a lot of industries, including politics and people like Gaetz and MTG are what you get