| Name
|
Sport
|
Background
|
State
|
Office(s)
|
Term
|
Party
|
| Dave Albritton
|
Track and field
|
1936 Olympic high jump medal winner
|
OH
|
State Representative
|
1961–1972
|
Republican
|
| Colin Allred
|
Football
|
Played for the Tennessee Titans
|
TX
|
U.S. Representative
|
2019–present
|
Democratic
|
| Randy Bass
|
Baseball
|
Played for the Hanshin Tigers
|
OK
|
State Senator
|
2005–2019
|
Democratic
|
| Dave Bing
|
Basketball
|
Hall of Fame shooting guard at Syracuse University and three NBA teams, including the Detroit Pistons
|
MI
|
Mayor of Detroit
|
2009–2013
|
Democratic
|
| Brandon Bochenski
|
Ice hockey
|
Played wing for the University of North Dakota and several AHL and NHL teams
|
ND
|
Mayor of Grand Forks
|
2020–present
|
Republican
|
| Bill Bradley
|
Basketball
|
Hall of Fame small forward at Princeton University, 1964 Olympic gold medal team, and the New York Knicks
|
NJ
|
U.S. Senator
|
1979–1997
|
Democratic
|
| Candidate for President
|
2000
|
| Fred H. Brown
|
Baseball
|
Outfielder for the Boston Beaneaters
|
NH
|
U.S. Attorney
|
1914–1922
|
Democratic
|
| Governor
|
1923–1925
|
| U.S. Senator
|
1933–1939
|
| United States Comptroller General
|
1939–1940
|
| Jim Bunning
|
Baseball
|
Hall of Fame pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers
|
KY
|
State Senator
|
1980–1984
|
Republican
|
| Nominee for Governor
|
1983
|
| U.S. Representative
|
1987–1999
|
| U.S. Senator
|
1999–2011
|
| Ben Nighthorse Campbell
|
Judo
|
Captain of the US team at the 1964 Summer Olympics
|
CO
|
State Representative
|
1983–1987
|
Democratic (before 1995)
Republican (1995–present)
|
| U.S. Representative
|
1987–1993
|
| U.S. Senator
|
1993–2005
|
| Sharice Davids
|
Mixed martial arts
|
Fought professionally, 2013–2014
|
KS
|
U.S. Representative
|
2018–present
|
Democratic
|
| Terry Dehere
|
Basketball
|
Seton Hall University, 1989–93; Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and Vancouver Grizzlies, 1993–99
|
NJ
|
Councilor of Jersey City
|
2001–2007
|
Independent
|
| Member of the Jersey City Board of Education
|
2007–present
|
| LaVern Dilweg
|
Football
|
Green Bay Packers, 1927–1934
|
WI
|
U.S. Representative
|
1943–1945
|
Democratic
|
| Arne Duncan
|
Basketball
|
Played at Harvard University and went on to play in Australia's National Basketball League from 1987 to 1991
|
IL
|
CEO of Chicago Public Schools
|
2001–2009
|
Democratic
|
| U.S. Secretary of Education
|
2009–2016
|
| Gerald Ford
|
Football
|
Center, linebacker, and long snapper for University of Michigan, 1932–1935, assistant varsity football coach for Yale University, 1935–1937, junior varsity head football coach for Yale University, 1938[1]
|
MI
|
U.S. Representative
|
1949–1973
|
Republican
|
| Vice President
|
1973–1974
|
| President
|
1974–1977
|
| Dick Fosbury
|
Track and Field
|
1968 Olympic high jump gold medal winner
|
ID
|
Candidate for State Representative
|
2014
|
Democratic
|
| Commissioner of Blaine County
|
2019–2023
|
| Steve Garvey
|
Baseball
|
First baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres
|
CA
|
Candidate for Senate
|
2024
|
Republican
|
| Anthony Gonzalez
|
Football
|
Ohio State University, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots
|
OH
|
U.S. Representative
|
2019–2023
|
Republican
|
| Glenn Jacobs
|
Professional wrestling
|
Independent circuit (1992–1995) and in WWE (1995–present), most notably as Kane. Also played football and basketball at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University).
|
TN
|
Mayor of Knox County
|
2018–present
|
Republican
|
| Edward J. King
|
Football
|
Guard and Defensive end for the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Colts
|
MA
|
Governor of Massachusetts
|
1979–1983
|
Democratic
|
| Fob James
|
Football
|
All-American halfback for Auburn University, 1952–1955 and Montreal Alouettes, 1956
|
AL
|
Governor
|
1979–1983
|
Democratic
|
| 1995–1999
|
Republican
|
| Caitlyn Jenner
|
Decathlon
|
1972 Summer Olympics, 1975 Pan American Games, and 1976 Summer Olympics
|
CA
|
Candidate for Governor
|
2021
|
Republican
|
| Kevin Johnson
|
Basketball
|
University of California, Berkeley, 1983–1987; Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, 1987–2000
|
CA
|
Mayor of Sacramento
|
2008–2016
|
Democratic
|
| Walter Johnson
|
Baseball
|
Hall of Fame pitcher for the Washington Senators, 1907–27
|
MD
|
Commissioner of Montgomery County
|
1938
|
Republican
|
| Candidate for U.S. Representative
|
1940
|
| Hayes Jones
|
Running
|
Winner of 110m hurdles at the 1964 Summer Olympics
|
MI
|
State Representative
|
2006
|
Democratic
|
| Jim Jordan
|
Wrestling
|
Two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, 1985–1986, assistant wrestling coach for Ohio State University, 1987–1995
|
OH
|
State Representative
|
1995–2000
|
Republican
|
| State Senator
|
2001–2006
|
| U.S. Representative
|
2007–present
|
| Michelle Kwan
|
Figure skating
|
Two-time Olympic medalist (silver in 1998, bronze in 2002), a five-time World champion (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003) and a nine-time U.S. champion (1996, 1998–2005)
|
CA
|
U.S. Ambassador to Belize
|
2022–present
|
Democratic
|
| Jack Kemp
|
Football
|
Played quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, 1962–69
|
NY
|
U.S. Representative
|
1971–1989
|
Republican
|
| Candidate for President
|
1988
|
| U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
|
1989–1993
|
| Nominee for Vice President
|
1996
|
| Steve Largent
|
Football
|
Hall of Fame wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, 1976–89
|
OK
|
U.S. Representative
|
1995–2003
|
Republican
|
| Nominee for Governor
|
2002
|
| Don Lash
|
Running
|
Set a world record for the two-mile run in 1936, competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics
|
IN
|
State Representative
|
1973–1982
|
Republican
|
| Bob Mathias
|
Track and field
|
Decathlon winner at the Summer Olympics in 1948 and 1952
|
CA
|
U.S. Representative
|
1967–1975
|
Republican
|
| Tom McMillen
|
Basketball
|
Played for the University of Maryland and the Buffalo Braves, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Washington Bullets
|
MD
|
U.S. Representative
|
1987–1993
|
Democratic
|
| Wayne Messam
|
Football
|
Wide receiver for Florida State University, and in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, 1997
|
FL
|
City Commissioner of Miramar
|
2011–2015
|
Democratic
|
| Mayor of Miramar
|
2015–present
|
| Candidate for President
|
2020
|
| Ralph Metcalfe
|
Running
|
Medalist at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics
|
IL
|
U.S. Representative
|
1971–1978
|
Democratic
|
| Jack Mildren
|
Football
|
Quarterback at the University of Oklahoma and with the Baltimore Colts and New England Patriots
|
OK
|
Lieutenant Governor
|
1991–1995
|
Democratic
|
| Nominee for Governor
|
1994
|
| Wilmer Mizell
|
Baseball
|
Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Mets, 1952–62
|
NC
|
U.S. Representative
|
1969–1975
|
Republican
|
| Markwayne Mullin
|
Mixed martial arts
|
Fought professionally, 2006–2007
|
OK
|
U.S. Representative
|
2013–2023
|
Republican
|
| U.S. Senator
|
2023–present
|
| William D. Mullins
|
Baseball
|
Pitcher in the Washington Senators minor league system
|
MA
|
State Representative
|
1977–1986
|
Democratic
|
| Tito Ortiz
|
Mixed Martial Arts
|
Ultimate Fighting Championship
|
CA
|
Member of the Huntington Beach City Council
|
2020–2021
|
Republican
|
| Tom Osborne
|
Football
|
Head football coach for the University of Nebraska, 1973–97; University of Nebraska athletic director, 2007–2013
|
NE
|
U.S. Representative
|
2001–2007
|
Republican
|
| Candidate for Governor
|
2006
|
| Burgess Owens
|
Football
|
Safety for the University of Miami (1970–72), New York Jets (1973–79), and Oakland Raiders (1980–82)
|
UT
|
U.S. Representative
|
2021–present
|
Republican
|
| Alan Page
|
Football
|
Played for University of Notre Dame and the Minnesota Vikings
|
MN
|
Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court
|
1993–2015
|
Independent
|
| B.J. Penn
|
Mixed martial arts
|
Mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner
|
HI
|
Candidate for Governor
|
2022
|
Republican
|
| Jon Runyan Sr.
|
Football
|
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)
|
NJ
|
U.S. Representative
|
2011–2015
|
Republican
|
| Ed Rutkowski
|
Football
|
Wide receiver and later quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, 1963–68
|
NY
|
Executive of Erie County
|
1979–1987
|
Republican
|
| Deputy Commissioner of the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
|
1995–2006
|
| Jim Ryun
|
Running
|
The last American to hold the world record in the mile run, competitor in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer Olympics, first high schooler to break the four-minute mile
|
KS
|
U.S. Representative
|
1996–2007
|
Republican
|
| Jim Schwantz
|
Football
|
Linebacker for Purdue University, and in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and San Francisco 49ers
|
IL
|
Mayor of Palatine
|
2009–present
|
Independent
|
| Arnold Schwarzenegger
|
Bodybuilding
|
Mr. Olympia from 1970 to 1973
|
CA
|
Governor
|
2003–2011
|
Republican
|
| Pius Schwert
|
Baseball
|
Catcher for the Penn Quakers and New York Yankees
|
NY
|
Clerk of Erie County
|
1934–1938
|
Democratic
|
| U.S. Representative
|
1939–1941
|
| Heath Shuler
|
Football
|
Played for the University of Tennessee and the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders
|
NC
|
U.S. Representative
|
2007–2013
|
Democratic
|
| John K. Tener
|
Baseball
|
Played for the Orioles in 1885, Chicago White Stockings from 1888 to 1889, and the Pittsburgh Burghers for the 1890 season.
|
PA
|
U.S. Representative
|
1909–1911
|
Republican
|
| Governor
|
1911–1915
|
| Jim Thomas
|
Tennis
|
Highest ATP world singles ranking was number 288
|
OH
|
State Representative
|
2023–present
|
Republican
|
| Tommy Tuberville
|
Football
|
Played for Southern Arkansas University; assistant coach at Arkansas State University, the University of Miami, and Texas A&M University; head coach at the University of Mississippi, Auburn University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Cincinnati
|
AL
|
U.S. Senator
|
2021–present
|
Republican
|
| Scott Turner
|
Football
|
Played for the Washington Commanders, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos
|
TX
|
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
|
2013–2017
|
Republican
|
| Mo Udall
|
Basketball
|
Played for the University of Arizona, and later with the Denver Nuggets for one year
|
AZ
|
U.S. Representative
|
1961–1991
|
Democratic
|
| Jesse Ventura
|
Professional wrestling
|
American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Federation
|
MN
|
Mayor of Brooklyn Park
|
1991–1995
|
Independence
|
| Governor
|
1999–2003
|
| Herschel Walker
|
Football
|
National Football League
|
GA
|
Candidate for U.S. Senator
|
2021-22
|
Republican
|
| J. C. Watts
|
Football
|
Played for University of Oklahoma and the Ottawa Rough Riders
|
OK
|
U.S. Representative
|
1995–2003
|
Republican
|
| Byron White
|
Football
|
Played for NFL teams Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers during 1938 and 1941
|
CO
|
U.S. Deputy Attorney General
|
1961–1962
|
Democratic
|
| Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
|
1962–1993
|
| Frank White
|
Baseball
|
World Series champion who played for the Kansas City Royals for 18 years.
|
MO
|
Member of the Jackson County Legislature
|
2014–2016
|
Democratic
|
| Executive of Jackson County
|
2016–present
|
| Royce White
|
Basketball
|
Played in the NBA, Basketball Super League, and Big3.
|
MN
|
Candidate for Senate
|
2024
|
Republican
|
| Dwayne Woodruff
|
Football
|
Cornerback with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1979–1990)
|
PA
|
Judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
|
2005–present
|
Independent
|
