Stephen A. Smith named Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as his top choices to lead the Democratic ticket in 2028.
Speaking on his SiriusXM program Straight Shooter with Stephen A., Smith responded to a caller from Wisconsin, who described himself as a “lifetime lib” and suggested California Gov. Gavin Newsom was the party’s most likely candidate, though he added, “I’m not totally sold.”
“You shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t be,” Smith said, interrupting. “Let me tell you something right now: First of all, I’ve got two candidates for you. They’re two of my favorites. Now, I’m not telling you to vote as I vote. I’m just being honest and open with you about who are my two favorite candidates, OK?”
“I love Gov. Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania and Gov. Wes Moore from Maryland,” he added, per The Hill. “Those are my two and not necessarily in that order.”
The issue at hand for Democrats is that many are starting to push for Wes Moore to run in 2028.
However, Moore recently bowed out of 2028 contention and said he would run for re-election as governor.
During an appearance earlier this month on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Moore was asked by anchor Kristen Welker if he planned to throw his hat in the ring for the Democratic nomination. “Yeah, I’m not running for president,” he responded.
When pressed again on whether he was ruling out a presidential bid, he repeated that he was, pointing instead to his record as Maryland’s governor and stressing his intention to seek a second term.
“Our population is growing, Maryland is moving, and so I’m really excited about going back in front of the people of my state and asking for another term,” Moore said.
The governor also said on “Meet the Press” that “all options are on the table” during the national redistricting fight, including redrawing Maryland’s congressional districts, though the state’s congressional delegation only has one Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, an incumbent since 2011.
At the same time, Moore added, he believed that “gerrymandering is actually a true stain on a larger democratic soul.”
Despite Moore’s decision, Smith urged his caller not to shut the door on the governor.
“Gov. Wes Moore is the real deal. Make no mistake about it, I doubt he’ll run, but he is the real deal. When you talk about somebody that can walk and communicate … across the aisle and fixated on getting things done, Wes Moore is somebody that I would strongly, strongly advise you not to ignore,” the sports commentator continued. “You better pay attention to this man.”
As for Newsom, Smith said he likes “the look” him, noting the California governor dons blue suits well.
“He looks so presidential, right? And Gavin Newsom is smart, he’s articulate, he’s bright, he’s very polished, and he could debate with the best of them,” Smith said.
But then he added that Newsom has a dismal record as governor of the most populous state, including a dramatic increase in homelessness during his tenure, as well as the high taxes, regulation, and cost of living in California under strict Democratic rule.
“They’re going to point to a lot of different things that have ravaged that state,” Smith told listeners. “And they’re going to look at businesses that have fled the state to go elsewhere because of the cost of living there, and I think ultimately that’s going to hurt him in a general election.”
“And it really, really comes down to this,” he added, per The Hill. “Gavin Newsom is a kind man whose heart is in the right place, and he just doesn’t want to say no to everybody. But when you are in office, you have to say no sometimes, and it doesn’t seem to be his gift.”
