Pro Wrestler Who Portrayed Heel Politician Elected Mayor Of Providence, Rhode Island

Independent wrestler David Morales, who portrayed a heel politician, was elected mayor of Providence, Rhode Island during the United States midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3.

Morales, as the Democratic Party candidate, was elected with 80.6 per cent of the vote compared to 17.6 per cent for Republican David B. Talan. Morales was expected to win the mayoral election after he defeated incumbent Providence Mayor Brett Smiley in the Democratic Party primary in September, with a Democrat serving as Providence mayor since 2002. No Republican has been Providence mayor since 1941.

The 28-year-old Morales is a democratic socialist and was endorsed by Bernie Sanders ahead of Tuesday's election. Morales' pro wrestling connection was actually used by his opponent in September's primary election as Smiley included an image of Morales in his pro wrestling gear on political ads.

Morales has already been a Rhode Island state representative since 2020. After growing up as a pro wrestling fan, he became a pro wrestler himself after attending a Renegade Wrestling Alliance event in 2021, where he was asked if he would take a bodyslam at the event. Morales received the bodyslam and began pro wrestling training soon after, which led to him working RWA events as The Commissioner, a heel politician. Morales even introduced a rule where the RWA Hype Champion, which included himself across his two reigns, had to carry the belt no matter where they went, including the statehouse. Morales semi-retired from pro wrestling in September 2025 to campaign for mayor.

That wasn't the only pro wrestling connection with the 2026 US midterm elections as WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque appeared alongside Turning Point Action activists in his home state of New Hampshire. The organisation founded by Charlie Kirk devoted significant resources to the Granite State in the hopes of getting Republicans elected, but those efforts largely failed as the Democrat candidates won the Senate and House of Representatives elections. GOP incumbent Kelly Ayotte was re-elected governor of New Hampshire, though.