Dwayne Johnson Called the Idea of Running for Office ‘Alluring’

Dwayne Johnson is arguably one of the most successful ex-pro wrestlers-turned-actors in Hollywood. Given his notoriety, it’s no small wonder that he has entertained the notion of running for president. He recently shared that he would consider a presidential bid if the opportunity presented itself.

Here’s the rundown on Johnson’s presidential aspirations and what it takes to hold the highest office in the land.

The Rock for president

Johnson, who is 49, is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood at the moment. He has been hinting at a possible White House bid for a while now.

“I do have that goal to unite our country and I also feel that if this is what the people want, then I will do that,” Johnson said when asked about his presidential ambitions in an interview broadcast on the Today show.

Johnson didn’t specify which party he would run for or when he might begin the campaign. His remarks follow an online public opinion poll that shows that 46% of Americans would consider voting for him. 

What would it take to become president

Running for president is certainly not a task to be taken lightly. But what does it take to become president? According to the USA.gov website, you must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, you must be at least 35 years old, and you must have been a resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years. 

Anyone who meets these requirements can declare their candidacy for president. Once a candidate raises or spends more than $5,000 for their campaign, they must register with the Federal Election Commission. That includes naming a principal campaign committee to raise and spend campaign funds. 

Would he be able to gain enough votes to win?

It seems relatively easy to be eligible to run, but would Johnson be able to garner enough votes to win? A recent survey found that fully 46% of Americans would support Johnson if he ran for president.

When he learned of the results of the poll, Johnson took to Instagram to share his thoughts:

“I don’t think our Founding Fathers EVER envisioned a six-four, bald, tattooed, half-Black, half-Samoan, tequila drinking, pick up truck driving, fanny pack-wearing guy joining their club – but if it ever happens it’d be my honor to serve you, the people 🇺🇸.”

Hollywood royalty has been in the White House before. Ronald Reagan, who was an actor by trade, ran for president and won in 1981. He served two terms. Arnold Schwarzenegger also served as governor of California from 2003 until 2011. Fellow wrestling alum Jesse Ventura was Minnesota’s governor from 1999 until 2003.

The beauty of our democracy is that you don’t have to be super-rich to run for president, although it does help to be well-connected. Johnson also has the charm and charisma to pull off a run for the presidency. Would the former wrestler be successful? It would certainly be fun to watch. 

The office of the President of the United States is a tough job. One only has to look at photos of former President Obama when he first took office until he left to see that it certainly aged him. No doubt the pressures of running the country are immense. In today’s heated political climate, the task has become even greater given the opposition from both sides. 

However, if Johnson could muster the support for such a run, he would undoubtedly give the opposing candidate a run for his money.