‘The Rock’ Dwayne Johnson for President 2020? Oddsmakers Price Him at 80-1

• ”It’s a very real possibility” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says in interview
• 80-1 odds put Johnson as real long shot
• “We’ll have three days off for a weekend!” or “No taxes!”
• Both parties sought his endorsement in the most recent election cycle

What real estate mogul and reality television star Donald J. Trump taught everybody is that anybody can become President.  No more does one have to rely on past political experience. 

Dwayne Johnson, better known as “The Rock” has thrown his name into the ring and the Washington Post didn’t take the news lightly.

The former professional wrestler-turned Hollywood actor admits this all started off as “a joke” but more recently told GQ Magazine “it’s a real possibility” he will run in 2020.

After all, before there was Donald Trump (and The Rock for that matter), another famed professional wrestler ran for Governor of Minnesota and won.  By most accounts Jesse “The Body” Ventura proved to be a capable Governor.  After Ventura there was Hollywood mega star Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would ultimately become Governor of California. 

Before both of these men, of course, was another Hollywood actor, Ronald Reagan, and he too would eventually become President of the United States.

So why not “The Rock”?

Last year, the Post suggested that Johnson could indeed be a viable candidate.

Oddsmakers on Tuesday evening released a price of 80-1 on Johnson becoming the next President of the US.

“There was a real sense of earnestness, which made me go home and think, ‘Let me really rethink my answer and make sure I am giving an answer that is truthful and also respectful,’ ” he told GQ’s Caity Weaver.

“I didn’t want to be flippant,” he added about what his platform might be, such as giving joke responses like “We’ll have three days off for a weekend!” or “No taxes!”

Weaver writes: “So, after all that consideration, Johnson doesn’t hesitate when I ask him whether he honestly might one day give up his life as the highest-paid movie star on earth — which is unquestionably easier, more fun, and more lucrative than being president of the United States — in order to run for office. ‘I think that it’s a real possibility,’ he says solemnly.”

The Rock has been portrayed in a more satirical position in the oval office on SNL.  He tells Weaver, he’d take the position far more seriously.

“When there’s a disagreement, and you have a large group of people that you’re in a disagreement with — for example, the media — I feel like it informs me that I could be better,” he said. “We all have issues, and we all gotta work our [crap] out.”

He added, “[Disagreement] informs us. The responsibility as president — I [would] take responsibility for everyone. Especially when you disagree with me. If there’s a large number of people disagreeing, there might be something I’m not seeing, so let me see it. Let me understand it.”

Born in 1972 in California, Johnson holds both American and Canadian citizenships.  He was raised in Hawaii and New Zealand.  Both Johnson’s father and maternal grandfather were professional wrestlers while his maternal grandmother was one of the sports few female promoters. 

Johnson was also an accomplished college football player for the University of Miami. 

A registered independent, Johnson has been affiliated with the Republican and Democratic parties, having attended both national conventions in 2000 to encourage people to vote.  He remains mum as to whom he voted for in 2016, noting that both parties sought his endorsement.

“I feel like I’m in a position now where my word carries a lot of weight and influence, which of course is why they want the endorsement,” he said. “But I also have a tremendous amount of respect for the process and felt like if I did share my political views publicly, a few things would happen … I felt like it would either (a) make people unhappy with the thought of whatever my political view was. And, also, it might sway an opinion, which I didn’t want to do.”

BetOnline currently lists Trump as the favorite to serve a second term with a payout potential of $25 for every $10 bet while Vice President Mike Pence has the second shortest odds at 8-1.