List of American professional sports figures who held elective office

This is a list of notable American sports figures who served at the state or national level, or in major city offices. It only includes those who were successful in their election to office, not those who were defeated (such as Richard Petty).

AthleteAthletic backgroundPolitical background
Dave AlbrittonTrack and Field: 1936 Olympic high jump medal winnerOhio House of Representatives for six terms.
Dave BingBasketball: Hall of Fame shooting guard at Syracuse University and three NBA teams, most notably the Detroit PistonsElected to complete the unexpired term of Kwame Kilpatrick as Mayor of Detroit in 2009, and elected to a full term later that year.
Bill BradleyBasketball: Hall of Fame small forward at Princeton University, 1964 Olympic gold medal team, and the New York Knicks. One of only two players, along with Manu Ginóbili, to have won an Olympic gold medal, a first-tier European club championship, and an NBA title.U.S. senator from New Jersey, 1979–97.
Jim BunningBaseball: Player with the Detroit Tigers, Phillies, Pirates, and the DodgersMember of U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 4th District, 1987–99; U.S. Senator from Kentucky, 1999–2011.
Ben Nighthorse CampbellJudo: Captain of the US team at the 1964 Summer OlympicsRepresented Colorado in the US House of Representatives 1987–93 and US Senate 1993–2005
Terry DehereBasketball: Played for Seton Hall University, 1989–93 and for the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and Vancouver Grizzlies, 1993–99Jersey City Council, 2001–07. Currently serves on the Jersey City Board of Education since 2007.
LaVern DilwegFootball: Played for Green Bay Packers, 1927-1934U.S. House of Representatives

from Wisconsin's 8th district, 1943-1945

Fob JamesFootball: All-American halfback for Auburn University, 1952 – 1955Governor of Alabama, 1979–83 and 1995–99.
Kevin JohnsonBasketball: Played in college at California, and then in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers and most notably the Phoenix Suns.Mayor of Sacramento, 2008–present.
Walter JohnsonBaseball: Hall of Fame pitcher for the Washington Senators 1907–27Montgomery County, Maryland Board of Commissioners 1938; unsuccessful Republican candidate for U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 6th congressional district in 1940
Hayes JonesRunning: Winner of 110 m hurdles at the 1964 Summer Olympics.Michigan State Representative in 2006.
Jack KempFootball: Played quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, 1962–69Nine-term Congressman from Western New York, 1971–89; Housing Secretary in the George H. W. Bush administration; and was the GOP nominee for Vice President in 1996.
Steve LargentFootball: Hall of Fame wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, 1976–89Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma, 1995–2003.
Don LashRunning: A long-distance runner who won 12 national titles between 1934 and 1940, including seven consecutive men's national cross-country championships, and who set a world's record for the two-mile run in 1936He was elected to five terms (1973–82) as a Republican member of the Indiana State House of Representatives.
Bob MathiasTrack and Field: Decathlon winner at the Summer Olympics in both 1948 and 1952Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the northern San Joaquin Valley of California, 1967–75
Tom McMillenBasketball: Played for the University of Maryland and the Buffalo Braves, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Washington BulletsDemocratic U.S. Congressman who represented Maryland's 4th congressional district, 1987–93.
Ralph MetcalfeRunning: Medal winner at the 1932 and 1936 Summer OlympicsDemocratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Illinois's 1st congressional district, 1971–78.
Jack MildrenFootball: Quarterback at the University of Oklahoma and with the Baltimore Colts and New England PatriotsLieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, 1991–95
Wilmer MizellBaseball: Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Mets, 1952–62.Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th congressional district, 1969–75.
Tom OsborneHead football coach for the University of Nebraska, 1973–97 and currently the athletic director at the universityRepublican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, 2001–07.
Alan PageFootball: Played for University of Notre Dame and the Minnesota VikingsAssociate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, 1993–2015
Ed RutkowskiWide receiver and later quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, 1963–68County executive of Erie County, New York, 1979–87, and ran New York State's parks department, 1995–2006.
Jim RyunRunning: The last American to hold the world record in the mile run (along with many other track records) and participated in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer OlympicsRepublican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Kansas's 2nd congressional district, 1996–2007.
Heath ShulerFootball: Played for University of Tennessee and the New Orleans Saints and Oakland RaidersDemocratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for North Carolina's 11th congressional district, 2007–13
Jesse VenturaProfessional wrestler of the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling FederationGovernor of Minnesota, 1999–2003.
J. C. WattsFootball: Played for University of Oklahoma and the Ottawa Rough RidersRepublican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma's 4th congressional district, 1995–2003.
Frank WhiteMajor League Baseball: World Series champion who played for the Kansas City Royals for 18 years.Democratic member of the Jackson County Legislature, first elected in 2014. Elected Jackson County Executive in 2016.
Jon RunyanFootball: Offensive tackle for University of Michigan, and in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans (1996–99), Philadelphia Eagles (2000–08), and San Diego Chargers (2009)Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district, 2011–15.
Mo UdallBasketball: Played for the Denver Nuggets for one yearDemocratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Arizona's 2nd congressional district, 1961–1991.
Dwayne WoodruffCornerback with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1979-1990)Judge in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 2005 - present.

Other offices

Byron White, who played for NFL-teams Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers during 1938 and 1941, served as United States Deputy Attorney General under president John F. Kennedy and was nominated by him to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

See also

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