If I’m going to vote for a maniacal, sadistic and flamboyant personality to make daily life and death decisions for me, he or she better look good in spandex and know how to dropkick!
We live in a world where professional wrestling is leaps and bounds tamer and more civilized than anything found in the political arena. It doesn’t matter who you give your blind allegiance to, at the end of the day we’ve somehow found ourselves inside Terry Gilliam’s 1985 fantasy satire, Brazil. With The Undertaker having retired a couple of weeks ago at WrestleMania 33, his onscreen brother Kane is now transitioning out of the ring with eyes on a political career.
The WWE Universe may know the almost 7-foot-tall monster as the “Devil’s Favorite Demon” but Glen Jacobs, the man behind the character, announced last week via Facebook that he is running for mayor of Knox County in Tennessee. The libertarian will be running as a Republican to replace current Republican mayor, Tim Burchett.
Before you snicker and laugh at Jacobs’ chances of being mayor, wrestlers stepping into the political ring, and winning, is more common than you think. Serving as your CliffsNotes, here are 5 wrestlers that ended up getting involved in elections.
Jesse “The Body” Ventura
The most well-known wrestler turned politician is the “Sexual Tyrannosaurus” himself Jesse Ventura. Jesse’s lived the life of 10 men, rivaling that of the fictional Forrest Gump. During the Vietnam War he was a Navy Seal, then afterwards he embarked on a successful career in pro wrestling, as both a larger-than-life wrestler and color commentator. His in-ring success helped propel him into the role of action movie star in movies like Predator and The Running Man. After all that, Jesse decided to open the most dangerous chapter of his life by entering into politics.
The Minnesota native first became Mayor of Brooklyn Park, MN in 1990, after defeating the 25-year incumbent mayor. In 1998, the brash, outspoken and confident Ventura sent out bigger shock waves through Washington and the media world by running for Governor of Minnesota and winning! Running as a third party candidate under the then Reform Party, Ventura beat out Republicans and Democrats with a strong grass roots campaign that utilized that “new” piece of technology at the time: the internet.
Since his time as Governor, the smart and controversial Ventura has become a popular author with several political books under his belt and a talking news head, sharing his political views and criticisms of the established “corrupt” parties.
Abraham Lincoln
File this under the things you didn’t know about Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe never headlined a WrestleMania, or wore a Luchador’s mask, or even delivered a flying elbow (as far as we know), but before he became an American Legend, he was a successful wrestler.
Not to be chalked up as urban legend or some kind of fanfiction, Lincoln was in fact a prolific wrestler in his youth, putting that 6-foot, 4-inch, solid frame of his to use. He may not have gone by the name “The Axe” or wore his trademark stovepipe hat and jacket to the matches (a la The Undertaker), but the 16th President of the United States competed in “catch-as-catch-can” style rumbles against tough men of the frontier.
Minus the fireworks and soap opera storylines of modern day WWE, Abe’s fights were hand-to-hand combat where one fighter won, while the other stumbled away a bloody mess. Most accounts have Abe only losing once in roughly 300 matches. There’s no one in WWE history who could come close to that win/loss record. His most famous opponent came in the form of Jack Armstrong, leader of a local gang called The Clary’s Grove Boys. Accounts vary on who won the match, but it’s believed to have been a draw after a lengthy and intense throw-down. Lincoln’s wrestling exploits earned him an honor in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Rhyno (Terrance Guido Gerin)
As Kane prepares to get his campaign off the ground, he might turn to fellow brother in arms Rhyno for advice on possible hurdles one might face in running for office. Rhyno, real name Terrance Gerin, ran for the Michigan House of Representatives 15th District seat in 2016 and unfortunately came up short. Running as a Republican and winning the primary, Gerin lost to Democrat Abdullah Hammoud in the general election.
Just like Kane, voters might look at Gerin’s wrestling persona of “Rhyno” and never think he’d be the type of person interested in politics. But that old adage of “don’t judge a book by its cover” rings true for “The Man Beast.” An ECW original, the 41-year old best known for spearing opponents through wooden tables showed us all a different side in wanting to help his community and reinvigorate business in the Dearborn, MI area. With a slogan campaign of “I’ll fight for you,” Terrance traded in his singlet for a jacket and bowtie. He didn’t win but his new found voice in politics may lead to more campaigns down the line.
Linda McMahon
What are her qualifications of holding a public office? Well, Linda McMahon has been married to Vince McMahon for over 50 years and has spawned Shane and Stephanie McMahon. That alone tells you that she’s more than qualified to compete and thrive in a world filled with nasty and vile characters. The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment who, along with her husband, helped build a global brand right up there with any sports league or commercial product. While Vince gets all of the headlines, his reserved and savvy wife has shifted gears from wrestling into politics.
Linda is the current Administrator of the Small Business Administration, selected for the role by friend and frequent wrestling character, Donald Trump. Linda first had public office aspirations back in 2009, when she stepped down from WWE to run for US Senator for Connecticut. Running as a Republican, McMahon lost in 2009 and again in 2012, pouring close to $90 million of McMahon dollars into both campaigns.
Even though she was unsuccessful, having friends in high places finally paid off once Trump landed in the White House. What Linda will bring to small businesses and entrepreneurs is yet to be seen. Here’s hoping that those department meetings are filled with gimmick matches, promos and gaudy attires!
Antonio Inoki
While wrestlers like Nikolai Volkoff, Rick Steiner and Bob Backlund have made local inroads into the political battlefield, international icon Antonio Inoki was elected into Japan’s House of Councillors in 1989. Whether you know him for battling Muhammad Ali in the 1976 wrestler v. boxer infamous match, or being the father of “Strong Style,” or for being the Babe Ruth of Japanese pro wrestling, Inoki is a giant in every sense of the word.
Wielding his considerable power for good, Inoki used his fame and popularity to get elected in hopes of helping his country and spreading peace around the world. Following in his father’s footsteps, the founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) actually did some work in his role. In 1990 on a diplomatic mission, he met with Saddam Hussein in Iraq where he successfully negotiated the release Japanese hostages. After 18 years away from politics, Inoki was reelected in 2013 to the House of Councillors, with his sights set on diplomatic efforts with North Korea. Good luck!
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