Professional wrestling personalities in politics

Modern politics of the United States have drawn comparisons to professional wrestling ^{[1] [2] [3]} and many wrestlers and wrestling personalities across the world have served in elected and appointed office throughout the years. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Currently serving in office

Wrestler or Personality	Country Elected In	Name of Highest Elected or Appointed Office	Year Term started
Hiroshi Hase	Japan	Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture [7]	2022
Kane	USA	Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee [5]	2018
Matt Morgan	USA	Deputy Mayor of Longwood, Florida [8]	2023
Ian Riccaboni	USA	Salisbury Township School District School Board [9]	2023
Raymond Rougeau	Canada	Mayor of Rawdon, Quebec [10]	2021
Rick Steiner	USA	Cherokee County School District (Georgia) School Board [11]	2006
Hiroko Suzuki	Japan	Funabashi city council	2015

Previously elected or appointed

Wrestler or Personality	Country Elected In	Name of Highest Elected or Appointed Office	Year Term started
Jim Barnett	USA	National Council of the Arts [12]	1977
Maven Bentley	USA	Cheltenham Township School District School Board [13]	2019
Billy Two Rivers	Canada	Kahnawake Chief [14]	1996
B. Brian Blair	USA	Hillsborough County, Florida Commissioner [15]	2004
The Great Sasuke	Japan	Iwate Prefectural Assembly [16]	2003
Tony Halme	Finland	Parliament of Finland [17]	2003
Antonio Inoki	Japan	Japanese House of Councillors [18]	1989; 2013
Shinobu Kandori	Japan	Japanese House of Councillors	2006
Abraham Lincoln [19]	USA	President of the United States	1861
Linda McMahon	USA	Administrator, Small Business Administration [20]	2017
Atsushi Onita	Japan	Japanese House of Councillors [21]	2001
Jesse Ventura	USA	Governor of Minnesota [22]	1998

Ran unsuccessfully

Wrestler or Personality	Country Office Sought In	Name of Office Pursued	Year Pursued
Blue Demon Jr.	Mexico	Mayor, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City [23]	2021
Bob Backlund	USA	United States House of Representatives [24] [25]	2000
Carístico	Mexico	Mayor, Cuauhtémoc [23]	2021
Jerry Lawler	USA	Mayor, Memphis, Tennessee [26]	1999; 2009
Moondog King	Canada	House of Commons of Canada [27]	2004
Rhyno	USA	Michigan House of Representatives [28]	2016
Tinieblas	Mexico	Mayor, Venustiano [23]	2021
Nikolai Volkoff	USA	Maryland House of Delegates [29]	2006
Whipper Billy Watson	Canada	York East 1965 federal election Candidate	1965
Drake Younger	USA	Florida House of Representatives [30]	2022

Other professional wrestlers or personalities involved in politics

• Though not a wrestler himself, 45th and 47th President of the United States Donald Trump has made several appearances for WWE, most notably participating in the Battle of the Billionaires match at WrestleMania 23.
• Former WWF World Heavyweight Champion The Iron Sheik worked as a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family for several years. ^[31]
• National Wrestling Alliance, Pro Wrestling USA, Ring of Honor, and World Championship Wrestling promoter Gary Juster served in former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale's United States Senate administration. ^[32]
• Wrestler and All-Star Wrestling founder Jean Rougeau was a personal bodyguard of Legislative Assembly of Quebec member René Lévesque. ^[33]

References

1. Hendrickson, John (March 26, 2023). "How Wrestling Explains America". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
2. Kruse, Michael (March 24, 2023). "How Pro Wrestling Explains Today's GOP". Politico. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
3. Riseman, Abraham Josephine (February 26, 2023). "The Best Way to Explain the G.O.P. Is Found in the W.W.E." The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
4. Mathews, Bobby (January 27, 2023). "Unexpected Politicians: Wrestlers Who Ran for Office". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
5. Banas, Erica (January 24, 2023). "Wrestlers Who Tried Their Hand At Politics". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
6. Tempest (3 November 2020). "10 TIMES WRESTLERS GOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS". WrestleTalk. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
7. "Hase wins governor's race in Ishikawa after LDP split, grudge". The Asahi Shimbun. March 14, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
8. "Staff Directory". Historic Longwood, Florida. 6 September 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
9. Nadon, Josh (August 1, 2023). "Ian Riccaboni elected to local school board". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
10. Goodyear, Sheena (November 10, 2021). "How pro wrestling prepared Raymond Rougeau to be a Quebec town mayor". CBC. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
11. Stafford, Leon (April 4, 2023). "Cherokee school board member accused of verbal abuse of trans wrestler". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
12. "Keeping a Firm Hold on the Arts – The Washington Post". The Washington Post .
13. "Cheltenham's Tyrone Scott & Abington's Charles Max Barsky: High school wrestlers who went on to professional careers". Parliament of Canada. October 23, 1996. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
14. "Evidence: Transport (27)". Glenside Local. July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
15. Makropoulos, Georgiann (November 3, 2004). "1Wrestling Newsline". Archived from the original on November 4, 2004. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
16. "Masked wrestler wins Japan election". CNN. April 13, 2003. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
17. "Ranneliike.net – Homokansan yhdistävä tekijä". Archived from the original on May 8, 2005. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
18. "Iraq to Free 36 Japanese Hostages". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
19. "Abraham Lincoln: A Wrestler As Young Man". History Channel. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
20. Pramuk, Jacob (December 7, 2016). "Trump picks wrestling magnate Linda McMahon to lead Small Business Administration". MSNBC .
21. "News: Mr. Liar's political quiz". insercredit.com. August 15, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011.
22. Fisher, Marc. "Jesse 'The Body' Wins Minn. Gubernatorial Race." Washington Post. November 4, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
23. Janowitz, Nathaniel (January 21, 2021). "The Masked Luchador Blue Demon Jr. Wants to Run for Office in Mexico—Without Showing His Face". Vice. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
24. Gubala, Jeff (July 13, 2000). "Bob Backlund announces his run for Congress". CT Insider. Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
25. Herszenhorn, David M.; Zielbauer, Paul (November 8, 2000). "THE 2000 ELECTIONS: CONNECTICUT – THE HOUSE; Gejdenson Upset as 5 Incumbents Prevail". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
26. "Lawler running for mayor". SLAM! Sports. Associated Press. July 7, 1999. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
27. Oliver, Greg. "Sailor White to continue in politics". SLAM! wrestling. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
28. Raven, Benjamin (November 8, 2016). "WWE's Rhyno gored by Abdullah Hammoud in Dearborn state House race". MLive. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
29. Rodricks, Dan (January 26, 2006). "Once-evil wrestler has quiet life in Glen Arm". The Baltimore Sun . Baltimore: Tronc, Inc. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
30. Winnard, Liam (2021-08-05). "Drake Wuertz Running For Florida House Of Representatives". WrestleTalk. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
31. Ellison, Lillian (2003). The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle. ReaganBooks. p. 163. ISBN   978-0-06-001258-8.
32. "Staffing" (PDF). Minnesota Historical Society. December 3, 1976. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
33. "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: The Rougeau Family". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved 2017-12-29.