ESPN/SEC Network host Paul Finebaum says he’s weighing a jump from sports talk to the U.S. Senate — and he’d run as a Republican in Alabama.
In an exclusive interview published Monday by OutKick, Finebaum said “one or two people in Washington” recently encouraged him to consider a run.
Among the declared candidates for Alabama’s 2026 open U.S. Senate race includes Alabama Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, and former U.S. Navy Seal Jared Hudson.
Recently, Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl made the decision to not run, following months of high-profile speculation.
Finebaum said the possibility of Pearl running gave him pause.
“I was… hesitant at first because I was very aware of Bruce’s interest and [I’m a] huge fan of Bruce… I didn’t take it too seriously,” Finebaum said.
“I ended up talking to someone… who made it clear that there was a desire for me to be involved. And this person… was compelling and compassionate in the approach to me, and I started thinking about this.”
He said he hopes to decide “in the next 30 to 45 days.” Alabama’s candidate qualifying deadline falls in January ahead of the May 19, 2026 Alabama Republican Party primary election.
When asked if he believes he would be a good representative of Alabama, Finebaum said “Absolutely.”
“One thing I don’t want to do as I sit here as a talk show host is to sound like a politician, because I’m not. At least not yet. I’ve been speaking to Alabamians for 35 years. I feel like I know who they are. I think they know who I am… you cannot hide when you’re on a radio show,” Finebaum said.
Finebaum said the recent political assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk jolted him to reassess his purpose and ultimately opened the door to politics in his mind.
“I spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me,” Finebaum told Clay Travis. “It kept building throughout that weekend… It was an awakening.”
Finebaum made clear his network discouraged him from wading into politics, saying he kept his views private because of ESPN’s policy.
“I’ve never said this before, but why am I going to hold this back? I just moved and registered in Alabama, but I am a registered Republican in North Carolina as of this hour. And I was a registered Republican in Alabama before I moved,” he said.
Under the Constitution, there’s a very short residency clock for a U.S. Senate run. A candidate must be an “inhabitant” of the state when elected.
As he mulls a run, Finebaum said a nudge from President Trump could seal the decision: “Impossible to tell him no. There’s no way I could. I would tell him yes,” Finebaum said.
Asked whether he voted for Trump, he answered, “Yes, but [ESPN] also tells us not to discuss that.”
Alabama’s U.S. Senate seat became open when a fellow sports superstar, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), decided to run for Governor of Alabama in 2026, rather than re-election to the U.S. Senate.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
