Former Senate staffer to compete on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'

A former Senate staffer is vying for some major moolah on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

Chris Jacobs says he didn’t tell anyone, not even his then-boss, former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), that he was going to appear as a contestant on the show. The policy analyst went to great measures to keep his potential payday hush-hush, taking all calls from “Millionaire” producers in private.

After he taped the episode, Jacobs says he finally fessed up to DeMint. Jacobs, who moved on from Capitol Hill to a job as an American University professor, tells ITK that DeMint “was very amused” by the news. “He was obviously excited for me and just waiting to see how it turns out,” he says.

Jacobs credits the high-pressure environment at the Capitol with helping him to prep for being in the “Millionaire” hot seat.

While he’s sworn to secrecy about the outcome of the show, he says if he wins big money, he’d like to travel, donate some cash to his alma mater, help his mom to retire, and see more NASCAR races.

The “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” episode featuring Jacobs airs Thursday.