The WWE wrestler known as Kane has won the race for mayor in Tennessee’s third largest county.
Kane, whose real name is Glenn Jacobs, is a Republican who also runs an insurance and real estate company.
He was leading Democrat Linda Haney by a large margin with most of the votes counted in Knox County.
The Knoxville News Sentinel said Mr Jacobs claimed victory at his watch party, saying his decision to seek the mayor’s job was met at first with “pretty resounding laughter” from some politicians.
He won a close primary in May. Results from the primary were delayed when the county’s election reporting website crashed after a concerted cyberattack that experts deemed malicious.
Ms Haney ran small businesses with her husband before she retired. She was considered an underdog in the solidly Republican county.–Press Association