Glenn Jacobs — otherwise known as the famed WWE heel Kane — was elected mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, last night (August 2nd). The 50-year-old Republican bested his Democratic opponent Linda Haney by a considerable margin, netting two-thirds of the over 80,000 ballots cast, according to local ABC affiliate WATE. It was a landslide compared to last May's Republican primary, in which Kane edged out Knox County Commissioner Brad Anders by just 23 votes. He's set to take office on September 1st.
Raised in Missouri, Jacobs began his professional wrestling career in 1992, before enlisting in the WWE in 1995. Two years later, he donned a red mask and adopted the role of Kane: the demonic, pyromaniacal half-brother of WWE icon The Undertaker, whom he often appeared alongside in tag-teams and feuds. A former World Heavyweight champion and 12-time world tag team champion, he ranks as the most prolific Pay-Per-View wrestler in WWE history.
Jacobs relocated to Tennessee in 1995, eventually opening a insurance and real estate business with his wife. He ran on a traditionally conservative platform, espousing limited government and widespread tax cuts; however, he's also vowed to improve infrastructure and bolster teachers' salaries.
"We understand that people should enjoy the fruits of their labor, not see their efforts wiped out by high taxes," his campaign website reads. "We understand that the free enterprise system — the greatest wealth producing machine the world has ever known — shouldn't be crippled by over-regulation, but it should be unleashed so that the American Dream is available to everyone."
Jacobs isn't the first pro wrestler elected to office. In 1998, WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura (a.k.a. "The Body") was elected mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota; he went on to serve as the state's 38th governor from 1999 to 2003.
