Sports commentator and political pundit Stephen A. Smith predicted Thursday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would beat Vice President JD Vance in a 2028 Republican primary.
"If this Israel-Hamas deal comes out to be more positive than anything else," Smith said Thursday on his "Straight Shooter" podcast, "I don't think anybody will be able to compete with Marco Rubio, who [President Donald] Trump called 'maybe the greatest secretary of State in American history.
"Marco Rubio gets things done. He's a former senator, now secretary of state and national security adviser."
"He is no joke. I put him above Vice President Vance, I can tell you that much."
Smith is not an elected official or traditional power broker, yet his commentary is gaining weight in GOP circles.
In recent months, he has expanded his political presence, discussing top-tier Democratic and Republican prospects across national media platforms.
He has name-dropped Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as preferred Democrat contenders heading into 2028.
He even floated a run of his own.
"I hope somebody from the Democratic Party steps up," Smith told Fox News' Sean Hannity in April.
"I hope I light a fire under them and get a more qualified individual in this mix, so people can stop asking me this stuff, and I can enjoy my life.
"But if it continues to get worse, all hands on deck — all of us should consider running, for crying out loud, rather than dealing with this nonsense."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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