Stephen A. Smith is known for dominating the sports debate desk, but now he might be eyeing a new kind of stage—the political one. Just weeks after brushing off the idea, the ESPN host took to X (formerly Twitter) to say he’s not ruling out a presidential run.
“Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney,” Smith tweeted. “Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open.”
At 57, Smith has made a name for himself with bold opinions and hot takes. Recently, he made headlines after a public back-and-forth with LeBron James, but now, it seems the political world might be the next chapter. As more voters seek fresh voices outside the usual political elite, Smith’s name has been coming up in talks about the 2024 and 2028 elections. Many Democrats are voicing concerns about the direction of the party and its leadership, which may explain why Smith’s name is gaining traction.
Earlier this year, the “First Take” host had said he didn’t care about running for office and preferred challenging politicians from the sidelines. He’s been an outspoken critic of former President Trump but hasn’t held back from holding Democrats accountable either.
“You did warn us about these things,” Smith said on his podcast recently. “But you still let cancel culture and identity politics take over. Y’all did that as Democrats.”
A recent poll has only fueled the speculation. A survey by McLaughlin & Associates found that Smith, a registered Independent, earned 2% of support from Democratic voters in a hypothetical presidential primary. It’s a small number, but it’s similar to early polling for Donald Trump before his political breakthrough in 2016. The poll also showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading at 33%, with Pete Buttigieg at 9% and California Governor Gavin Newsom at 7%. Smith was in the same range as some established political names like Governors Josh Shapiro and Tim Walz, and Senator Cory Booker.
While those numbers aren’t set in stone, they’re enough to keep the conversation alive. And according to Smith, some politicians are taking it seriously.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve had no choice but to get more serious about it,” Smith said during a panel at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. “I’ve been approached by people on Capitol Hill. I’ve been approached by elected officials—governors, mayors, you name it. People are genuinely asking me about it.”
It’s still unclear whether Smith is truly considering a run, but one thing’s for sure—he’s not holding back when it comes to his frustrations with the current state of the country. “This country is an absolute mess under this administration,” he’s said.
