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
Ian Riccaboni	USA	Salisbury Township School District School Board^[8]	2023
Raymond Rougeau	Canada	Mayor of Rawdon, Quebec^[9]	2021
Rick Steiner	USA	Cherokee County School District (Georgia) School Board^[10]	2006
Hiroko Suzuki	Japan	Funabashi city council	2015
Matt Morgan	USA	Deputy Mayor of Longwood, Florida^[11]	2023

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
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
Matt Morgan	USA	Mayor of Longwood, Florida^[11]	2019

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

Other professional wrestlers or personalities involved in politics

Former WWF World Heavyweight Champion The Iron Sheik worked as a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family for several years.^[30]
National Wrestling Alliance, Pro Wrestling USA, Ring of Honor, and World Championship Wrestling promoter Gary Juster served in former Minnesota Governor Walter Mondale's gubernatorial administration.^[31]
Wrestler and All-Star Wrestling founder Jean Rougeau was a personal bodyguard of Legislative Assembly of Quebec member René Lévesque.^[32]

References

^ Hendrickson, John (March 26, 2023). "How Wrestling Explains America". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ Kruse, Michael (March 24, 2023). "How Pro Wrestling Explains Today's GOP". Politico. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ 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.
^ Mathews, Bobby (January 27, 2023). "Unexpected Politicians: Wrestlers Who Ran for Office". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ ^a ^b Banas, Erica (January 24, 2023). "Wrestlers Who Tried Their Hand At Politics". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ Tempest (3 November 2020). "10 TIMES WRESTLERS GOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS". WrestleTalk. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ "Hase wins governor's race in Ishikawa after LDP split, grudge". The Asahi Shimbun. March 14, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ Nadon, Josh (August 1, 2023). "Ian Riccaboni elected to local school board". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ Goodyear, Sheena (November 10, 2021). "How pro wrestling prepared Raymond Rougeau to be a Quebec town mayor". CBC. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ Stafford, Leon (April 4, 2023). "Cherokee school board member accused of verbal abuse of trans wrestler". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Staff Directory". Historic Longwood, Florida. 6 September 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ "Keeping a Firm Hold on the Arts – The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
^ "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.
^ "Evidence: Transport (27)". Glenside Local. July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
^ Makropoulos, Georgiann (November 3, 2004). "1Wrestling Newsline". Archived from the original on November 4, 2004. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
^ "Masked wrestler wins Japan election". CNN. April 13, 2003. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
^ "Ranneliike.net – Homokansan yhdistävä tekijä". Archived from the original on May 8, 2005. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
^ "Iraq to Free 36 Japanese Hostages". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
^ "Abraham Lincoln: A Wrestler As Young Man". History Channel. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
^ Pramuk, Jacob (December 7, 2016). "Trump picks wrestling magnate Linda McMahon to lead Small Business Administration". MSNBC.
^ "News: Mr. Liar's political quiz". insercredit.com. August 15, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011.
^ Fisher, Marc. "Jesse 'The Body' Wins Minn. Gubernatorial Race." Washington Post. November 4, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c 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.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ "Lawler running for mayor". SLAM! Sports. Associated Press. July 7, 1999. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Oliver, Greg. "Sailor White to continue in politics". SLAM! wrestling. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Raven, Benjamin (November 8, 2016). "WWE's Rhyno gored by Abdullah Hammoud in Dearborn state House race". MLive. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
^ Rodricks, Dan (January 26, 2006). "Once-evil wrestler has quiet life in Glen Arm". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore: Tronc, Inc. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
^ Ellison, Lillian (2003). The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle. ReaganBooks. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-06-001258-8.
^ "Staffing" (PDF). Minnesota Historical Society. December 3, 1976. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
^ "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: The Rougeau Family". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved 2017-12-29.

[Wrestling_Explains_America-1] Hendrickson, John (March 26, 2023). "How Wrestling Explains America". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[How_Pro_Wrestling_Explains_Today’s_GOP-2] Kruse, Michael (March 24, 2023). "How Pro Wrestling Explains Today's GOP". Politico. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[The_Best_Way_to_Explain_the_G.O.P._Is_Found_in_the_W.W.E.-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.

[Unexpected_Politicians:_Wrestlers_Who_Ran_for_Office-4] Mathews, Bobby (January 27, 2023). "Unexpected Politicians: Wrestlers Who Ran for Office". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[Wrestlers_Who_Tried_Their_Hand_At_Politics-5] Banas, Erica (January 24, 2023). "Wrestlers Who Tried Their Hand At Politics". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[10_TIMES_WRESTLERS_GOT_INVOLVED_IN_POLITICS-6] Tempest (3 November 2020). "10 TIMES WRESTLERS GOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS". WrestleTalk. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[Hase_wins_governor’s_race_in_Ishikawa_after_LDP_split,_grudge-7] "Hase wins governor's race in Ishikawa after LDP split, grudge". The Asahi Shimbun. March 14, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[Ian_Riccaboni_elected_to_local_school_board-8] Nadon, Josh (August 1, 2023). "Ian Riccaboni elected to local school board". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[How_pro_wrestling_prepared_Raymond_Rougeau_to_be_a_Quebec_town_mayor-9] Goodyear, Sheena (November 10, 2021). "How pro wrestling prepared Raymond Rougeau to be a Quebec town mayor". CBC. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[Cherokee_school_board_member_accused_of_verbal_abuse_of_trans_wrestler-10] Stafford, Leon (April 4, 2023). "Cherokee school board member accused of verbal abuse of trans wrestler". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[Staff_Directory-11] "Staff Directory". Historic Longwood, Florida. 6 September 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[barnettnea-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.

[Pramuk-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.

[demon-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.

[Gubala-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.

[mayor-26] "Lawler running for mayor". SLAM! Sports. Associated Press. July 7, 1999. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[Politics-27] Oliver, Greg. "Sailor White to continue in politics". SLAM! wrestling. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[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.

[moolah-30] Ellison, Lillian (2003). The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle. ReaganBooks. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-06-001258-8.

[Staffing_Determination-31] "Staffing" (PDF). Minnesota Historical Society. December 3, 1976. Retrieved August 7, 2023.

[slam-32] "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: The Rougeau Family". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved 2017-12-29.

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Professional wrestling personalities in politics

Currently serving in office

Previously elected or appointed

Ran unsuccessfully

Other professional wrestlers or personalities involved in politics

References

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