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 PersonalityCountry Elected InName of Highest Elected or Appointed OfficeYear Term started
Mike Furnas USACommissioner, Ottawa County, Oklahoma[7]
Hiroshi Hase JapanGovernor of Ishikawa Prefecture[8]2022
Kane (Glenn Jacobs) USAMayor of Knox County, Tennessee[5]2018
Linda McMahon USAUnited States Secretary of Education[9]2024
Matt Morgan  USA District 4 City Commissioner of Longwood, Florida.[10] 2017
Ian Riccaboni USADirector, Salisbury Township School District School Board[11]2023
Raymond Rougeau CanadaMayor of Rawdon, Quebec[12]2021
Rick Steiner USACherokee County School District (Georgia) School Board[13]2006
Hiroko Suzuki  Japan Funabashi city council 2015

Previously elected or appointed

Wrestler or PersonalityCountry Elected InName of Highest Elected or Appointed OfficeYear Term started
Jim Barnett USANational Council of the Arts[14]1977
Maven Bentley USACheltenham Township School District School Board[15]2019
Billy Two Rivers CanadaKahnawake Chief[16]1996
B. Brian Blair USAHillsborough County, Florida Commissioner[17]2004
The Great Sasuke JapanIwate Prefectural Assembly[18]2003
Tony Halme FinlandParliament of Finland[19]2003
Antonio Inoki JapanJapanese House of Councillors[20]1989; 2013
Shinobu Kandori JapanJapanese House of Councillors2006
Sonny Myers USABuchanan County, Missouri Sherriff[21]1968 [22]
Atsushi Onita JapanJapanese House of Councillors[23]2001
Jesse Ventura USAGovernor of Minnesota[24]1998

Ran unsuccessfully

Wrestler or PersonalityCountry Office Sought InName of Office PursuedYear Pursued
Blue Demon Jr. MexicoMayor, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City[25]2021
Bob Backlund USAUnited States House of Representatives[26][27]2000
Carístico MexicoMayor, Cuauhtémoc[25]2021
Jerry Lawler USAMayor, Memphis, Tennessee[28]1999; 2009
Moondog King CanadaHouse of Commons of Canada[29]2004
Rhyno USAMichigan House of Representatives[30]2016
Tinieblas MexicoMayor, Venustiano[25]2021
Nikolai Volkoff USAMaryland House of Delegates[31]2006
Whipper Billy Watson CanadaYork East 1965 federal election Candidate1965
Drake Younger  USA Florida House of Representatives[32] 2022

Other professional wrestlers or personalities involved in politics

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. 1 2 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. ↑ "Commissioner District 1". Ottawa County. March 14, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Hase wins governor's race in Ishikawa after LDP split, grudge". The Asahi Shimbun. March 14, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  9. ↑ Pramuk, Jacob (December 7, 2016). "Trump picks former WWE executive Linda McMahon for education secretary". Guardian.
  10. ↑ "Staff Directory • Longwood, FL • CivicEngage". www.longwoodfl.org. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
  11. ↑ Nadon, Josh (August 1, 2023). "Ian Riccaboni elected to local school board". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  12. ↑ Goodyear, Sheena (November 10, 2021). "How pro wrestling prepared Raymond Rougeau to be a Quebec town mayor". CBC. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  13. ↑ Stafford, Leon (April 4, 2023). "Cherokee school board member accused of verbal abuse of trans wrestler". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Keeping a Firm Hold on the Arts – The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
  15. ↑ "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.
  16. ↑ "Evidence: Transport (27)". Glenside Local. July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
  17. ↑ Makropoulos, Georgiann (November 3, 2004). "1Wrestling Newsline". Archived from the original on November 4, 2004. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  18. ↑ "Masked wrestler wins Japan election". CNN. April 13, 2003. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ranneliike.net – Homokansan yhdistävä tekijä". Archived from the original on May 8, 2005. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Iraq to Free 36 Japanese Hostages". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  21. ↑ Oliver, Greg. "Sonny Myers Dead at 83". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  22. ↑ "Previous County Sheriffs List" (PDF). Buchanan, MO. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  23. ↑ "News: Mr. Liar's political quiz". insercredit.com. August 15, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011.
  24. ↑ Fisher, Marc. "Jesse 'The Body' Wins Minn. Gubernatorial Race." Washington Post. November 4, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  25. 1 2 3 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.
  26. ↑ Gubala, Jeff (July 13, 2000). "Bob Backlund announces his run for Congress". CT Insider. Retrieved February 12, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ "Lawler running for mayor". SLAM! Sports. Associated Press. July 7, 1999. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
  29. ↑ Oliver, Greg. "Sailor White to continue in politics". SLAM! wrestling. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  30. ↑ Raven, Benjamin (November 8, 2016). "WWE's Rhyno gored by Abdullah Hammoud in Dearborn state House race". MLive. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  31. ↑ Rodricks, Dan (January 26, 2006). "Once-evil wrestler has quiet life in Glen Arm". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore: Tronc, Inc. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  32. ↑ Winnard, Liam (2021-08-05). "Drake Wuertz Running For Florida House Of Representatives". WrestleTalk. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  33. ↑ Ellison, Lillian (2003). The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle. ReaganBooks. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-06-001258-8.
  34. ↑ "Staffing" (PDF). Minnesota Historical Society. December 3, 1976. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  35. ↑ "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: The Rougeau Family". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2017-12-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling_personalities_in_politics