10 Wrestlers Who Ran For Public Office
Not the Triple H kind of politics, the other kind.
This Tuesday is Election Day in the U.S., and while only Americans will vote, the effects will be felt around the world. There have already been millions of words written about the presidential election and there's nothing much new I can write, but suffice to say that this is a very scary time and this is a very important election.
For a bit of a diversion, let's take a look at the times that wrestling and politics converged. For years, people have jokingly compared pro wrestlers to politicians - both have been accused of puffed-up delivery and empty promises, as well as an emphasis on showmanship over substance.
That's a bit misleading, of course - everybody can point out political heroes who have done great things and changed the world, but the perception of politicians as wrestlers has arguably helped many of wrestling's stars get involved with politics. Typically promoting the conservative agendas that are so popular amongst the sport's participants, most have come up short. Still, a few have managed to pull off victory, making local - and sometimes even national - headlines.
Here are 10 wrestlers who ran for public office:
10. Rick Steiner
As one half of the Steiner Brothers tag team, Rick Steiner had a pretty impressive career. He and brother Scott traveled around the world, holding tag team gold in World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Steiner also held singles gold on multiple occasions in WCW.
In 2006, he set a new goal for himself - he wanted to be part of the school board in Cherokee County, Georgia. While not a political position, the post still needed be claimed via winning an election.
Unfortunately, Steiner ran into a problem - he was disqualified from the primary because he ran as "Rick Steiner," rather than under his real name, Robert Rechsteiner. "The Dog-Faced Gremlin" managed to win as a write-in candidate, though, as he was running unopposed. Steiner retains the position on the board to this day.