It was a moment that visibly caught Sean Hannity off guard.
During a discussion about the 2028 presidential race on Sean Hannity’s new podcast, “Hang Out with Hannity,” he asked sports commentator and media personality Stephen A. Smith a straightforward question: if the election were held today, who would he vote for?
The answer was not what Hannity — or most viewers — expected.
HANNITY: “Names of three people in your head right now that you’d vote for, for president.”
Smith paused before answering, already hinting that his response might surprise people.
SMITH: “You won’t like it.”
“I’d vote for Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland. I’d vote for Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania. I’d vote for Marco Rubio.”
The mention of Marco Rubio immediately prompted Hannity to ask for an explanation.
He wanted to understand why someone who has long been associated with supporting Democrats would cross the aisle and name a Republican.
HANNITY: “Okay. Talk about what is it about Marco?”
Smith didn’t hesitate in his reasoning.
SMITH: “He’s an adult in the room. There is no questioning his qualifications for the job.”
That answer led Hannity to test just how far Smith was willing to take the argument.
What followed turned into a rapid-fire stress test of Rubio’s standing against top Democratic names.
HANNITY: “If it’s Marco and anyone other than Wes and Josh, you vote for Marco over the Democrat?”
SMITH: “Yes.”
Hannity then started listing some of the most prominent figures in Democratic politics.
HANNITY: “Over Newsom?”
SMITH: “Yes.”
HANNITY: “Over Kamala?”
SMITH: “Yes.”
Smith doubled down on the point to make it unmistakably clear.
“I’d vote for Marco Rubio over anybody that’s out there right now, other than Wes Moore or Josh Shapiro.”
He then went a step further, praising Rubio’s experience and role on the world stage.
“I want to say this about Marco Rubio. He’s a former Senator, he’s the present Secretary of State. And I think that when you see what’s happening with our foreign policy, he deserves all the credit in the world.”
For a commentator widely associated with supporting Democrat politicians, the moment stood out.
In a conversation about the future of the presidency, Smith openly elevating a Republican above nearly the entire Democratic field was not something many viewers expected to hear.
And it suggests that if Rubio were to run in 2028, he could potentially pull support from some voters outside the traditional Republican base.
