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Stephen A. Smith Responds to Rumblings That He Could Run for President in 2028

Could the ESPN host make a run for office?

Mike Kadlick

Could the ESPN host make a political run?
Could the ESPN host make a political run? / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has quite the life going for him right now. As host of the highly rated First Take, the 57-year-old is reportedly making $12 million per year and as of last December, was in negotiations to raise that number to $20 million.

However, amid a ravaged United States political climate, Smith has begun to garner some interest as a potential Democratic Party candidate in the 2028 presidential election.

In an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night, Smith addressed said speculation—as well as several headlines connecting him to a campaign:

"Folks are nuts, No. 1," Smith laughed. "No. 2, the Democratic Party, they lost, they've had a bad few months. We all know this. Even though there's a lot of qualified democrats all over the country from a local perspective—governors, mayors, stuff like that—there's no real national voice, until moi. They've come to me."

"I did not ask for this," he continued. "I don't want this. I happen to have a very, very good life. A very good job. I'm good, very good... They even got me in the polls, man. I think the number's up to like 7.6% I watch these things and I'm like, 'Wait a minute now, I don't wanna do this." But the fact that they're talking about me this way? I must say, I approve this message."

That's certainly not a no.

Smith was also on The View earlier this week and confidently told the dais that he, "can beat them all,” referring to other Democratic candidates.

After previously saying that he wouldn't run, it's certainly starting to sound like—at the very least—he's now open to the possiblity.

What a world.

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Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.

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