Add Memphis wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler (seen here as a mayoral candidate in 1999)to the growing list of potential candidates for the upcoming special election for city mayor.
Speaking on a local radio station this morning, Lawler said he's seriously considering another run for mayor and will make an announcement this week.
Lawler said fans at a wrestling event this past weekend were encouraging him to run. And in his travels on the wrestling circuit, he said people elsewhere think Memphis is a joke because of the city's failed leadership.
But, before he makes a decision, Lawler said he needs to weigh whether he can continue his wrestling career and also serve in the mayor's office if elected.
Lawler ran for Memphis mayor in 1999, finishing third behind winner Willie Herenton and runner-up Joe Ford. In a field of 15 candidates, Lawler got nearly 12 percent of the vote.
The 1999 election didn't leave the best taste in his mouth.
In a 2002 interview with The Commercial Appeal, Lawler said his
unsuccessful campaign showed him how difficult it would be for an
outsider to solve big government problems.
"It's like the movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," Lawler said. "It doesn't take you long to realize one guy doesn't have much chance of changing the world. Even if I had won, I think there would have been very little fun in being a major politician."
Now, however, it appears the wrestler wants another shot in the political ring.
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