Over the last year, Stephen A Smith has increasingly flirted with the idea of stepping on the political stage as a candidate as a presidential candidate. Although he brings to the table no political experience, Smith has explicitly stated that he is giving “strong consideration” to running for president and claimed he could wipe the floor with his opponents in a debate.
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After months of speculation, Smith has offcially decided not to run for the presidency in 2028. His rationale to end his presidential bid before it got off the ground was not because of any changes in the political landscape. But Smith said he’s not running for president simply because he wants to protect his bag.
Appearing on Fox News anchor Sean Hannity’s new podcast “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” Smith said he will not run for the highest office in the nation because he doesn’t want to give up any of his cash.
During the interview, Hannity said to Smith that he didn’t think that he was going to run for president.
“I don’t think I’m running either because I gotta give up my money,” Smith replied.”I can tell you right now, let me put the presidential aspirations to bed. If I have to give up my money, it’s not happening.”
Smith also revealed to the conservative political pundit who he is most likely to vote for in the 2028 presidential election. The host of ESPN’s “First Take” said that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio are his top choices.
As for his support of Rubio, Smith described him as “the adult in the room” and that “there is no questioning his qualifications for the job.” Smith said that he would vote for Rubio over Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“I’d vote for Marco Rubio over anybody that’s out there right now other than Wes Moore or Josh Shapiro,” Smith explained.
Although he’s been the subject of well-earned criticism for going out of his way to gain access to right-wing media personalities and the MAGA constituency, Smith is one of the highest-paid commentators in sports media. In March 2025, Smith inked a five-year contract extension with ESPN, reported to be worth at least $100 million. Also, he signed a three-year, $36 million contract with SiriusXM in June 2025, where he is the host and executive producer of his shows appearing on Mad Dog Sports Radio.
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