Image: WATE
UPDATE: Jacobs has officially defeated Haney, winning with 66.39 percent of the vote.
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Several local media outlets have projected Jacobs to defeat Democrat Linda Haney after taking a 66.56 percent to 33.44 percent lead in early and absentee voting. After barely coming out ahead in May’s Republican primary, Jacobs was expected to easily win tonight’s election.As expected, Glenn Jacobs (WWE’s Kane) is going to be the next mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.
Jacobs has declared victory tonight, while Haney is waiting for the full results to come in to comment. Jacobs will begin his term as mayor on September 1.
Jacobs returned to WWE television during the general election campaign, teaming with Daniel Bryan in a program against The Bludgeon Brothers. Their feud lasted a few weeks and culminated with Harper & Rowan retaining the SmackDown Tag Team titles at Extreme Rules on July 15. Jacobs was limited at the pay-per-view due to suffering an Achilles tendon injury on TV.
Haney criticized Jacobs for still wrestling while the campaign was going on, with Jacobs replying that his schedule was sporadic, that it wasn’t different than if he had any other job, and that it didn’t have an impact on his preparation. Jacobs told the Knoxville News Sentinel last month that he “may still do a few special things” with WWE after becoming mayor.
Travis Dorman, a reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel, noted that WWE cameramen are with Jacobs tonight.