SEC Network host Paul Finebaum told OutKick he's considering leaving ESPN to run for U.S. Senate in Alabama as a Republican.
Sam Neumann at Awful Announcing:
Paul Finebaum has spent 35 years talking to people in Alabama about college football. Now he’s thinking about representing them in Washington. The SEC Network host told Outkick he’s considering leaving ESPN to run for U.S. Senate in Alabama as a Republican, revealing he’s a registered Republican who voted for Donald Trump in 2024, information he’s kept quiet throughout his entire broadcasting career.
Finebaum cited Charlie Kirk’s assassination as the catalyst for reconsidering his priorities. He told Outkick’s Clay Travis that he struggled to do his show after hearing about Kirk’s death, saying he “spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me.” “It’s hard to describe, not being involved in politics, how that affected me and affected tens of millions of people all over this country. And it was an awakening,” Finebaum said. The timing works in Finebaum’s favor. Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville is considering a run for governor, potentially opening up his Senate seat. Finebaum had initially been hesitant because former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl had expressed interest in the seat, but Pearl has since indicated he won’t pursue it, clearing the path for Finebaum. Finebaum and his wife moved back to Alabama earlier this year after living in Charlotte since 2013, where the SEC Network is headquartered.
[...] Finebaum’s potential Senate run would be one of the most dramatic career shifts for a major sports media figure. While ESPN has seen talent like Will Cain leave for Fox News and others depart due to vaccine mandates, no prominent ESPN personality has left to pursue an elected office.
Paul Finebaum, host of SEC Network’s The Paul Finebaum Show, is considering a run for a US Senate seat in Alabama on the Republican line.
