Stephen A. Smith Suggests Wes Moore As Hypothetical Running Mate In Presidential Bid

Topline

Stephen A. Smith suggested Thursday he would select Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., as his running mate if he ran for president, though the television personality told Randall Lane, Forbes chief content officer, a presidential bid in 2028 is “highly unlikely” after saying earlier this year he had “no choice” but to consider a run for the Oval Office.

Stephen A. Smith elaborated on his potential presidential bid Thursday. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Smith, speaking at the 2025 ForbesBLK Summit, said, “I believe I can win the presidency if I really put my heart to it, I truly do,” before noting he has no desire to be a politician and that a presidential run is unlikely “especially with the money I’m making.”

Smith said his reluctance to run is also rooted in dealing with the “chaos on Capitol Hill,” having to curry and return favors with other politicians and campaign trail fundraising.

“I would love to debate them for them to justify the things that they have done to this country on both sides of the aisle, because I think they played us all as suckers and it really ticks me off,” Smith added, saying “in that regard, I leave the door open because I want that palpable fear that I may be on that stage in 2027 debating them.”

Smith said “I really, really like Wes Moore” when asked about a potential running mate, stating the Maryland governor “cares about people, and he cares about what’s in our best interest, but he’s also a realist.”

“I hope he runs [for president],” Smith added about Moore, naming Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., as “another viable option.”

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What Are Smith’s Political Views?

Smith said Thursday he was fiscally conservative, “But in the same breath, I’m a live and let live kind of person.” Smith told Lane he would most want to address poverty in the U.S., stating poverty is “a shame on us as a nation. We’re the richest country in the world. How the hell does that happen?” The radio host also said “affordability, safety in the streets” and border control are important, later speaking on abortion and characterizing himself as “pro-life. I’m not for abortion, but I’ll be damned if I think I have a right to tell a woman what to do with her body.” He noted that despite advocating for border control, a presidential administration cannot “just go terrorizing law-abiding citizens and booting them out of the country or separating children from their family,” seemingly referring to President Donald Trump’s sweeping and aggressive deportation agenda.

Key Background

Smith said in a February episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show” he would “entertain” a presidential run as a Democrat. After appearing as a candidate in polling for the Democratic Party, Smith told Fox News it was “the most clear-cut evidence of how pathetic of a state of affairs that exists within the Democratic Party today,” adding he was not qualified to run for president. In April, Smith said he had “no choice” but to consider running for president and was leaving the door open to the possibility because of encouragement from people close to him, including his pastor. Smith gained the attention of Trump, who said he would “love” to see the television personality make a run at the White House.