Abvout 24 hours after its launch, World Wrestling Entertainment's Stand up for WWE initiative appears to be gaining traction: 23,267 people "like" the group's Facebook page (that's as of 11:30 this morning.)
Meanwhile, state Democrats are pushing back,questioning whether WWE's corporate campaign to protect and promote its product could constitute "illegal campaign activity'' to benefit the U.S. Senate bid of Republican Linda McMahon, whose built the wrestling empire with her husband, Vince McMahon and who served as company CEO she resigned to run for Senate in September, 2009.
State Democratic party spokeswoman Kate Hansen cites election laws that make it illegal for corporations to contribute directly to political campaigns. (McMahon spokesman Ed Patru told Hearst's Brian Lockhart yesterday that the campaign had notrhing to do with WWE's initiative.)
"In the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizen's United case allowing unlimited spending in federal elections, many have feared corporate efforts to undermine our democracy,'' states an email circulated by Hansen. "WWE's comprehensive political campaign, including rapid-response, public relations, organization and activation of grassroots activists, and paid media represents one of the most brazen and overt attempts by a single corporation to influence a single federal election in modern political history.''
Regardless of how it is classified, WWE's effort shows is just how invested wrestling fans are in the brand.