Stephen A. Smith Hints At Becoming A Republican, Praises Longtime Trump Ally

Longtime ESPN host Stephen A. Smith indicated that he is open to becoming a Republican and pointed to U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), who is widely projected to secure the Republican nomination for governor of Florida, as an inspiration.

“And I ain’t no damn Republican, but I mean if anybody could make me one, it would be him. I’m just going to keep it a buck. I’m just letting you know,” Smith said of Donalds in the latest installment of his “Straight Shooter With Stephen A. Smith” podcast.

“He’s the real deal. Make no mistake about it. I’ve seen him battling with Democrats. I’ve seen him battling with people on different shows, whatever. He ain’t backing up. He knows his stuff. OK? I talk to him all the time. All the time. And I ain’t got nothing bad to say about him.”

The comments came during a wide-ranging interview in which Donalds discussed topics including affordability, property taxes, black voter outreach and a number of other campaign-related issues. Smith pressed Donalds on whether his association with President Donald Trump could create skepticism among black voters. Donalds responded that the issue involves verification of policies rather than trust alone, noting that politicians from both parties have made promises to black communities and that voters should examine results.

Donalds, who represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District and serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, is seeking the Republican nomination to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis. Ahead of the August 18 primary, Donalds holds a commanding lead over his Republican challengers, including Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins and political newcomer James Fishback.

A July 31 poll from Quantus Insights found Donalds leading with 49.6 percent support among likely Republican primary voters, well ahead of Collins, who placed second with 15.7 percent. The polling average has reflected a similar margin, which comes in addition to robust campaign fundraising, as the Donalds campaign has raised more than $90 million over the course of the cycle.

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Great conversation with @StephenASmith on Straight Shooter.

We covered the issues that matter most to Floridians: affordability, property taxes, insurance, housing, education, and keeping the Florida Dream within reach for every family.

Florida is the greatest state in the… pic.twitter.com/6yXq8ObAuj

— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) August 13, 2026

Smith, who has described himself as a registered independent and has expressed fiscal conservative and socially liberal views in prior statements, also commented on the state of the Democratic Party during the episode. “You heard me ask that question [What have Democrats done for you?]. I ain’t apologizing for it. I’m very skeptical about them,” he said.

“Make no mistake about it. I mean, I’ve lost interest in them in a lot of different ways. I’ll be the first to admit it right here on the public airwaves, but I also am trying to be fair-minded when I think about this.”

Donalds responded to Smith’s kind words during his own interview with Just The News a day later. “He’s a good guy. We’ve gotten a chance to know each other over the last year or so, and that really means a-lot,” he said.

“I think for the future, it demonstrates what people are looking for. Republicans, independent voters, even Democrats — they just want this country to work. They want common sense to reign. They want safe streets. They want a border that’s secure. They want an economic system where people can earn a great living and provide for their futures and just enjoy life.”

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