Stephen A. Smith, the ESPN “First Take” host known for his fiery sports commentary and increasingly outspoken political takes, dropped a bold claim. He stated that if he ran in the 2028 Democratic presidential primaries, he could beat most of them.
He said names like Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, and the rest of the field. He believes that Democrats do “too much dancing,” and he doesn’t.
“Do I believe I would take Gavin Newsom out? Yes, I do,” Smith said, gesturing emphatically. “Do I believe I would go against Kamala and beat her? Yes, I do. I think I’d beat most of the Democratic Party. Because there’s too much dancing, and I don’t dance.”
🚨NEW: Stephen A. Smith: “Do I believe I would take Gavin Newsom out? Yes, I do. Do I believe I would go against Kamala and beat her? Yes, I do.”
“I think I’d beat MOST of the Democratic Party. Because there’s too much dancing — and I don’t dance.” @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/7S87P7ZEPM
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) April 3, 2026
The internet, predictably, lost its mind within minutes of the clip dropping. Replies to the original post range from mockery (“delusional,” “CTE from sports commentary”) to grudging acknowledgment of his confidence. Some conservative users cheered the idea of Smith running, while others on the left dismissed it as pure ego.
Whether Smith is serious about actually running remains unclear; he has floated the idea before, but always stopped short of a firm commitment. What is crystal clear, though, is that the sports commentator is done playing nice with the Democratic establishment. In his view, the party is full of performers who “dance” around issues instead of delivering straight talk.
