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Athletes who went into politics after their playing days

 
1 of 24

Dave Bing

Dave Bing
Paul Warner/Getty Images

Bing, a former star at Syracuse, had himself a Hall of Fame NBA career, mainly for the Detroit Pistons. He tallied 20-plus points per game in each of his first seven NBA seasons, including 27.1 per as an NBA sophomore in 1967-68. Bing was elected mayor of Detroit in 2009, earning a full term after replacing disgraced former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. In 2013, a then 69-year-old Bing announced he wouldn't seek another term in office. 

 
2 of 24

Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Bradley may be more known for his failed presidential bid against then vice president Al Gore in the democratic primaries in 2000, but he's a Hall of Fame NBA player with a huge résumé on the hardwood. Bradley averaged double-digit points in eight of his 10 seasons with the Knicks, earning two NBA titles in the process. He's also a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.  

 
3 of 24

Jim Bunning

Jim Bunning
Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Inducted into Cooperstown on a Veterans Committee vote in 1996, this Hall of Fame pitcher played 17 seasons in the Majors, earning 224 wins and nine All-Star appearances. His best season came with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1967, when he tallied 17 wins and a 2.29 ERA. Bunning served 12 years in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky, a seat Rand Paul currently holds.

 
4 of 24

Ben Nighthorse Campbell

Ben Nighthorse Campbell
RJ Sangosti/Getty Images

A Korean War veteran, Campbell competed in judo during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. While he didn't medal during the event, he did end up coaching the U.S. judo team shortly thereafter. "Nighthorse," as he is known, took an interest in politics. He served as a Democrat in the U.S. Congress from 1987-1993 before being elected to the Senate from the state of Colorado. Campbell also made history as the first American Indian to chair the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. 

 
5 of 24

Terry Dehere

Terry Dehere
Rocky Widner/Getty Images

Playing in the first incarnation of the Big East during the latter stages of its dominance, this former Seton Hall guard absolutely flourished under then head coach P.J. Carlesimo. Dehere held the conference record for points scored when he entered the 1993 NBA Draft. While Dehere did very little in the pros, he found his calling in politics. He served on the Jersey City Board of Education, focusing on affirmative action work from 2007-10. 

 
6 of 24

Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden
Denis Brodeur/Getty Images

A six-time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s, Dryden was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983. He earned five Vezina Trophies as the league's best goalie and ranks ninth all time in goals against average. Dryden was a member of the Canadian Parliament from 2004-11 and is among the biggest political names up north. 

 
7 of 24

Arne Duncan

Arne Duncan
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Getty Images

Duncan, the former secretary of education under President Obama, previously served as the superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools under then mayor Richard Daley. Aside from his role in the Chicago political machine, Duncan played basketball at Harvard, earning First-Team All-Academic honors. He also played overseas in the Australian National Basketball League.

 
8 of 24

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Bert Hardy/Getty Images

Long before Eisenhower served as the United States Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II, the head of the army and eventually the president, he once played football against Jim Thorpe while at Army. Knee and leg injuries forced him to give that up as an outlet to his larger service. One of the most historical figures in U.S. history, mainly for his role in World War II and as president, most don't realize how good of an athlete Eisenhower was as a lad. 

 
9 of 24

Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford
University of Michigan

One of two U.S. presidents on the list, Ford earned two national championships as the star of the University of Michigan football team in the early 1930s. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Ford's attention turned to politics. He served in the Congress for a quarter century before becoming vice president to Richard Nixon and eventually taking over when Nixon resigned in 1974. Facing competition from Ronald Reagan in the 1976 presidential primaries, Ford eventually defeated Reagan before losing the general election to Jimmy Carter. 

 
10 of 24

Napoleon Harris

Napoleon Harris
Stephen Gunn/Getty Images

Many of you will remember Harris as a first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2002. The former Northwestern linebacker played just seven seasons in the NFL, eventually deciding to give it up and return home to Illinois. Less than three years after his retirement, Harris ran as a Democrat for a spot in the Illinois State Senate, winning the primary easily before earning the role uncontested in the general election. Not too surprisingly, his primary focus in government has been on education. 

 
11 of 24

Kevin Johnson

Kevin Johnson
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A three-time All-Star during his playing days with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, this former point guard was among the most underrated players in the NBA during his 13-year career. He was elected mayor of California's capital city, Sacramento, in 2008. He's the first African-American to hold that title. 

 
12 of 24

Jack Kemp

Jack Kemp
Pool reporter/Getty Images

Kemp was a seven-time AFL All-Star and earned league championships as the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback in 1964 and 1965. Despite throwing 69 more interceptions than touchdowns in his career, Kemp was one of the better signal callers of his era. After his retirement in 1969, Kemp went into politics. He served in the House of Reps from 1971-1989 before taking over as the secretary of housing and urban development under then President George H.W. Bush in 1989. That came after he challenged Bush in the GOP primaries the prior year. 

 
13 of 24

Steve Largent

Steve Largent
Arthur Anderson/Getty Images

A seven-time Pro Bowler, this Hall of Fame pass catcher still ranks in the top 30 in NFL history in receptions and is tied with Tim Brown for ninth all time in touchdown receptions. After his brilliant NFL career, Largent served in the U.S. Congress as a representative for Oklahoma from 1994-2002. 

 
14 of 24

Don Lash

Don Lash
Washington Post

Lash (pictured on the left), a 12-time national champion in long-distance running, broke the world record in the two mile in 1936. Lash also competed in the infamous 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Eventually, his focus turned to politics, where he served five terms in the Indiana State House of Representatives as a Republican. 

 
15 of 24

Bob Mathias

Bob Mathias
Keystone France/Getty Images

A winner of a gold medal in the decathlon in both the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, Mathias was known for his superior athletic talents. In fact, his 1948 medal earned him the distinction of being the youngest gold medalist in Olympic track and field history. Mathias was elected to the Congress, representing California's 18th district in 1966, serving until 1975 when redistricting in Southern California cost him his seat. 

 
16 of 24

Jack Mildren

Jack Mildren
Bill Johns/Getty Images

Known as the "godfather of the wishbone," Mildren played quarterback at Oklahoma from 1969-71 under Chuck Fairbanks. In his senior season, the Sooners posted an 11-1 record with a whopping average of 472.4 rushing yards per game. Mildren was selected in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts but never panned out in the NFL. Elected lieutenant governor of Oklahoma in 1990, Mildren later failed in an attempt for governorship in the 1994 midterms. 

 
17 of 24

Tom Osborne

Tom Osborne
Sporting News Archives

From being named Nebraska's College Athlete of the Year in 1959 while playing quarterback at Hastings College to a coaching career in Lincoln that spanned four decades and included three national titles, Osborne is right up there among the most famous individuals from the cornhusker state. This popularity led to him being elected as a state representative in Congress with 83 percent of the vote in 2000. He served as a Republican in the House until his failed governorship campaign in 2005. 

 
18 of 24

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao
Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Known mainly for his boxing prowess and battles with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ring, Pacquiao is actually a member of the House of Representatives in the Philippines. In fact, Pac-Man has been rumored to be interested in running for president in his native country. This could lead to Pacquiao finding himself more popular in the political realm than in a sport in which he's earned 10 world titles. Interesting stuff. 

 
19 of 24

Jon Runyan

Jon Runyan
Tom Williams/Getty Images

Retired in 2009 after spending 14 years in the NFL as one of the most underrated offensive tackles in the game, Runyan's ascension up the political ladder was amazing. At the age of just 37, this former Philadelphia Eagles standout was elected to represent New Jersey's third district in Congress back in 2011. However, he only spent two terms in office, deciding not to run for re-election back in 2013. He was frustrated with fellow Republicans over the government shutdown. 

 
20 of 24

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Saul Loub/Getty Images

Arnold, a former weight lifter and famous actor, might be the most surprising statewide elected official in California history. As a moderate Republican in one of the most blue states in the union, Arnold won the governorship going away in 2003. He was re-elected handily in 2007, at which point he was one of the most popular governors in California history. Schwarzenegger's now ex-wife, Maria Shriver, is the niece of John, Robert and Ted Kennedy.

 
21 of 24

Heath Shuler

Heath Shuler
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Long before Shuler became a popular Democratic congressman in North Carolina, he was seen as a can't-miss pro prospect coming out of Tennessee. The No. 3 overall pick of the Washington Redskins back in 1994, Shuler started only 22 games during a four-year career. He threw 18 more interceptions than touchdowns during that span. Still, fans from the Rocky Top remember him for holding nearly every Volunteers passing mark until Peyton Manning's arrival in Tennessee.

 
22 of 24

Lynn Swann

Lynn Swann
Tim Sloan/Getty Images

One of the best big-game players in NFL history, Swann earned four Super Bowl titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers, putting up 16 receptions for 364 yards and three scores in his final three Super Bowl appearances. In 2002, Swann was appointed by George W. Bush as the chairman of the United States President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He served in that role until 2005, when he ran an unsuccessful campaign for Pennsylvania governor. 

 
23 of 24

Jesse Ventura

Jesse Ventura
Stephen Jaffe/Getty Images

After serving in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, Ventura went on to be a bodyguard for the Rolling Stones. Following that brief stint, he went into a life in professional wrestling. Known as "The Body," Ventura dominated the tag-team circuit. Always interested in the political realm, he first served as the mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Surprisingly, he was able to defeat a 25-year incumbent for that role. Then, in 1998, Ventura ran for governor of Minnesota — an election he won as a representative of the Reform Party. He served in that position for just one term. 

 
24 of 24

J.C. Watts

J.C. Watts
Chris Maddaloni/Getty Images

Watts led Oklahoma's football team to two consecutive Orange Bowl victories in 1979 and 1980, running for a combined 1,100 yards and 28 touchdowns from the quarterback position. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Reps in Oklahoma from 1995-2003, acting as the chairman of the House Republican Conference for half his tenure. 

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