Normally, the mayoral race of Knox County, Tenn. wouldn’t ping the national political radar. Then again, normally, the GOP candidate isn’t a 7-foot tall WWE wrestler whose signature move is the “chokeslam from hell.”
Glenn Jacobs, better known to WWE fans as Kane, appears to have won the Republican nomination for mayor in the area. With 100% of the precincts reporting, Jacobs had a 17-vote lead over his opponent.
A victory that narrow is almost certain to trigger a recount, but Jacobs says he’s already focused on the general election, which is set for August 2. Assuming the primary results are certified, though, Jacobs is considered a shoe-in for mayor. (Republicans outnumber Democrats 5:1 in the county.)
Glenn, along with his family, volunteers and supporters declare victory in a hard-fought Knox County Mayoral race this evening. Together we won! Tomorrow, we move forward.
— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) May 2, 2018
Thanks to everyone who helped win this historic victory!! The people who cast a ballot for me, my great team, my wonderful volunteers. Looking forward to VICTORY in the general election!
— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) May 2, 2018
Jacobs impressed voters with his focus on infrastructure and attracting jobs to the area. It’s a far cry from his most famous character, Kane, the brother of the Undertaker whose WWE bio describes him as “a monstrous abomination that seems to have been extracted directly from your childhood nightmares.”
Wrestlers have a rich history of transitioning into politics, though. Linda McMahon, former CEO of WWE, now runs the Small Business Administration. Jesse “The Body” Ventura was governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. And Terrance Gerin, who wrestles under the name Rhyno, had an unsuccessful run for the Michigan House of Representatives in 2016.