22 Aug 2025 2 min read writing

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Wins South Carolina Democratic Primary

COLUMBIA, S.C. — ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith secured a decisive victory in Tuesday's South Carolina Democratic primary, defeating a field that included Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Josh Shapiro with 37% of the vote after campaigning on a platform of "taking the analytics approach to governance."

Smith's upset victory came after months of policy debates, and his signature healthcare proposal for a system that allows us to "walk off" minor illnesses while establishing a "clutch-time medical system" for serious conditions. The sports media personality also outlined a foreign policy doctrine centered on preventing NATO allies from "blowing coverage on defense" and ensuring America "stays in bounds" during international negotiations.

On education, Smith advocated for giving teachers "the last shot" on curriculum decisions while implementing a merit-based funding system he described as "keeping receipts on which schools show up in the big moments." His campaign also proposed legalizing sports betting nationwide, arguing it would generate revenue while teaching Americans "the value of doing their homework before making picks."

"Smith has demonstrated a unique ability to mobilize low-propensity voters through populist messaging that transcends traditional demographic boundaries," said Dr. Jennifer Martinez, a political scientist at the University of South Carolina. "His debate performance showed remarkable message discipline, even when addressing complex policy questions he clearly had no preparation for."

The victory was bolstered by a surprise endorsement from Senator Joe Manchin, who praised Smith's "common-sense approach to bringing both sides together in the paint" and called his budget proposal "exactly the kind of bipartisan fiscal responsibility America needs." Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also threw his support behind the campaign, calling Smith "the only candidate with the stones to admit when he's been completely wrong about infrastructure spending."

Smith's victory speech Tuesday night lasted 23 minutes and included multiple references to his opponents lacking "dawg" in them and being "straight trash" on economic policy. Campaign officials confirmed that Skip Bayless has formally requested Secret Service protection.

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