The WWE knew him as the “Big Red Machine,” and he just got elected Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, thanks to another big red machine.
“Glenn Jacobs— better known as WWE wrestler Kane — won his bid for Knox County, Tennessee mayor after roundly defeating his opponent, Linda Haney,” reports CNN. “He had the Democratic nominee on the ropes in Thursday’s election, tallying twice as many votes — 51,804 to Haney’s 26,224.”
Jacobs barely won the GOP primary over his opponent Brad Anders, edging him out by just a 23 vote margin. His 20-year long wrestling career will be coming to a close by entering into politics. His final WWE appearance occurred at an Extreme Rules SmackDown Live tag team championship match. In a tweet on Thursday, the WWE congratulated their alumnus:
Signing with the WWE in 1995, Jacobs moved into wrestling after a knee injury ended his chances of starting a professional football career. Two years later he debuted his iconic “Kane” character, known for his ominous voice and red hockey mask. In “Phantom of the Opera” fashion, the character covered his face to conceal a horrible scar. He would later describe himself as “a monstrous abomination that seems to have been extracted directly from your childhood nightmares.”
Former pro wrestler Jesse “The Body” Ventura holds the record for the highest public office held by a professional wrestler. He served as governor of Minnesota between 1999 and 2003 before going on to become a full-time conspiracy theorist.