WWE Star Glenn Jacobs Announces Run for Mayor in Tennessee

By Jessica Ferrera, Christian Post Contributor Friday, April 14, 2017

World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Glenn Jacobs, or more commonly known by the ring name Kane, has recently announced he is running for mayor under the Republican Party.

With the slogan "Lighting the way for our future," Jacobs is hoping to become the next mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.

Kane's move to run for mayor is definitely a huge leap. He has been known as the seven-foot professional wrestler the WWE describes as a "monstrous abomination."

But that impression was gone when Jacobs stood at the podium last Tuesday to announce his candidacy and proved that he is more than just a professional wrestler, though more than two decades of his life was spent in the ring.

During the announcement of his candidacy, Jacobs said: "I want to do my part to make sure that [Knox County] remains a great place and that our future's brighter than ever. ... As mayor, I'll work hard to make Knox County a place that is attractive for new businesses as well as a place that existing businesses ... can continue to grow, thrive and flourish."

At Jacobs' official website for his mayoral run, his platform mentions seven main points including keeping local taxes low, "renewed focus on quality of education," bring more jobs to the constituents, working to make roads and infrastructures better, practice "full and absolute transparency" in local government institutions, build safer communities, and provide a "fresh outlook on limited government."

Though his career in the WWE is undoubtedly on an entirely different track from being a mayor, Jacobs explained there is still something that connects the two and works to the advantage of his candidacy. In an earlier interview with Knoxville News Sentinel before he declared his run for the mayor's office, Jacobs said, "I have an inherent understanding because of WWE...of how a campaign works and some of the things I would do would be unique and different."

In the same interview, Jacobs admitted he has never worked for the local government. However, he still sees the advantage of having a newcomer like him lead Knox County. He explained that a "new set of eyes" can help in determining the "new problems and challenges" which he considers a key step to development. The aspiring mayor added that, as a country, the U.S. is in a "transitional period."