Overview
- In a CBS Sunday Morning preview, Smith said he is giving strong consideration to being on the 2027 Democratic primary debate stage and plans to use 2026 to study the issues.
- He told Robert Costa he would run as a Democrat, describing himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal while ruling out a GOP bid.
- Costa posted that Smith is moving closer to a 2028 campaign and compared recent time with him to his reporting on Donald Trump before his first run.
- Smith said he has no desire to be a politician yet is not ruling out a run, noting he has been approached by elected officials and other influential figures.
- No exploratory committee or formal launch has been reported; a five-year ESPN deal reportedly worth $100 million and his new SiriusXM political show factor into his deliberations, with the full CBS interview set to air Feb. 15.