Marco Rubio cabinet nomination kickstarts unironic Hulk Hogan for Senate push
With Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) expected to be named President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of state, CNN’s Scott Jennings suggested an unconventional choice to take his place in the Senate.
While on air Tuesday evening, the Republican commentator pitched WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan to replace the Florida senator.
Delivering his pitch, Jennings revealed a bright yellow Hulkmania T-shirt, hidden underneath his blazer.
“If Marco Rubio does, in fact, become secretary of state, we’re going to need a new senator from the state of Florida and we need someone with Rubio's national security credentials,” Jennings said during the broadcast.
“Now, there is one Floridian who can do it. He stood up to the Russians and the Iranians in the 1980s when he defeated the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, two of America‘s most lethal foes,” he said.
“He is a real American, he fights for the rights of every man, and he knows the courage is the thing that keeps us free. Ladies and gentlemen, I announce… Ron DeSantis, get on it… Hulk Hogan for U.S. Senate.”
While the credentials offered were in jest, referring to Hogan’s previous wrestling opponents, Jennings was serious about his pitch for Senate.
A long-time fan of the wrestler, Jennings met him when Hogan spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.
At the RNC, the former wrestler gave a rousing speech in which he ripped off his suit jacket and shirt to reveal a red Trump-Vance tank top.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, said ahead of his speech that he tries to “stay out of politics.”
But, after the July assassination, Hogan enthusiastically endorsed Trump’s campaign, partaking in multiple media appearances for the campaign.
Despite his 2024 endorsement, Hogan’s politics have been somewhat unclear. Previously, he has supported Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.
The Trump campaign has had close ties to wrestling entertainment, with Trump participating in several World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events. During Trump’s previous administration, he made Linda McMahon, the former chief executive of WWE, the head of the Small Business Administration.
WWE characters have previously served in government. Jesse Ventura became governor of Minnesota in 1999. Glen Thomas Jacobs, also known by the stage name Kane, currently presides as Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.
People online had mixed reactions to Jennings’ pitch. One user wrote “If Hulk Hogan gets appointed to the Senate, Democrats can do the funniest thing ever,” alongside a photo of Booker T, a fellow WWE wrestler.
Others jested at the idea, with some praising Jennings’ status as one of the few Republican pundits on CNN, stating that the commentator is “singlehandedly carrying” the network.
Many, though, were displeased, given the current spate of recent Trump nominees.
"They really think this shit is a joke….." wrote one.
Bollea has other ties to the Trump administration. He previously worked with Peter Thiel, a Vice-President-elect JD Vance backer, on a lawsuit against Gawker Media following the publication of his sex tape in 2013.
Under Florida law, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) could temporarily appoint a replacement to Rubio’s seat, who would serve until the next scheduled general election is held.
While Jennings has been keen to pitch Hogan for Senate, conservatives have been speculating about his own position in the Trump administration, with some hoping he takes up a position as White House Press Secretary.
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