ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith suggested Tuesday that the increasing influence of Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic Party helped open his mind to a potential 2028 presidential run.
Smith said Monday at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show that, although he was not interested in pursuing the presidency, he would remain flexible based on the condition of the country and his chances of winning. On “The Stephen A. Smith Show” Tuesday, he said that he believed it was necessary for him to “speak up at the NAB conference” because Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez would not be ideal stewards of the Democratic Party. (RELATED: Tim Walz Is Still Trying To Explain How Badly His Party Failed In 2024)
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“See, when I think about the Republicans, I think the Republicans are asking us, particularly Trump, ‘Trust me.’ And by the way, he’s in a position to do it because he won the popular vote. He won the Electoral College vote. He won every swing state. He won both houses of Congress,” Smith said. “He’s got a majority, 6-3, in the Supreme Court. I mean, damn. Americans didn’t just give it to him. He took it because he recognized what the left wasn’t doing. They were preoccupied with nonsense. You want to ask why Stephen A. Smith felt the need to speak up at the NAB conference?”
“Let me ask y’all this question: We’re supposed to leave it to Bernie Sanders and AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? We’re supposed to leave it with individuals that will tell you that it’s perfectly OK to tax 70% of your money? Not that they gave out that number. I’m just speculating because of how socialistic they are in their thinking,” Smith added. “We’re supposed to say that that’s OK? Y’all OK with that? You OK with going to work and making $100 and walking home with $30? You sure about that? Are you cool with it? Just tell me. Because these are the kind of questions that we have to ask ourselves. That is why I spoke up.”
Although Smith said that he is an independent, he indicated on a February episode of his show that he would likely run as a Democrat.
Smith garnered 2% support in a January poll by McLaughlin & Associates that requested participants choose their preferred candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. Former Vice President Kamala Harris led the field with 33% support.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have traveled the nation on the Vermont senator’s “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, speaking to crowds about how to combat “the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power” in the U.S. When asked to name the Democratic leader they believe “best reflects the core values” of the party, 10% of Democrats selected Ocasio-Cortez, while 8% chose Sanders, according to a CNN/SSRS poll published March 16.
Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have floated tax rates of 70% or more on wealthy Americans.
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