By Paul Finebaum, the SEC Network host whose name had hovered for weeks over Alabama’s 2026 Senate race, has decided he will not trade the booth for the campaign trail. The ESPN personality announced Tuesday that he will forgo a run for the seat held by Senator Tommy Tuberville, cutting short a swirl of intrigue that had reached deep into Republican politics.
In a statement released to AL.com, Finebaum said he was struck by the groundswell of encouragement from across the state. “I have been deeply moved by so many people in Alabama who have reached out encouraging me to run for the United States Senate,” he said. “It has been a gratifying and rewarding experience. I am also appreciative of my bosses at ESPN for allowing me to explore this opportunity. But it’s time for me to devote my full attention to something everyone in Alabama can agree upon – our love of college football.”
The decision ends a period of public musing from the 70-year-old commentator, who recently returned to Alabama and purchased a multimillion-dollar home in Mountain Brook. He had signaled he would make a final choice after the current football season. Behind the scenes, according to individuals familiar with the conversations, his flirtation with a run drew interest from senior GOP figures — including within President Donald Trump’s orbit.
Finebaum himself acknowledged in September that national turbulence, including what he described to Outkick’s Clay Travis as the Charlie Kirk assassination, had prompted a reassessment of his own priorities. Even so, he ultimately stepped back rather than enter a primary that promised national attention and a clash with a field already populated by seasoned Republican contenders.
His withdrawal removes one of the race’s most recognizable potential entrants ahead of the January 23 qualifying deadline. The GOP lineup already includes Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson, and Morgan Murphy, a former Trump administration official and Tuberville adviser. Tuberville, who has announced plans to run for governor in 2026, has created one of the state’s most open and closely watched contests.
Democrats, meanwhile, are assembling their own slate: businessman and former Republican Kyle Sweetser, Birmingham-born University of Alabama graduate Dakarai Larriett, and Heflin chemist Mark Wheeler have all declared their campaigns.
Finebaum is not the only Alabama sports figure to weigh — and dismiss — a Senate run. Recently retired Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl had also considered a bid before opting out.
For Finebaum, the choice returns him to the media grind he has dominated for decades. With roughly 18 months remaining on his ESPN contract, he continues to appear on “Get Up,” “First Take,” and “SportsCenter.” His full schedule, uninterrupted since a short suspension this fall following his Outkick interview, has reinforced industry perceptions that his footing at the network remains steady.
Pressed Monday night on CNN about whether he was truly shutting the political door, Finebaum joked the question away with characteristic levity. “It’s been difficult to concentrate on anything else lately but Lane Kiffin,” he joked to host Kaitlan Collins.
With Finebaum out, the Senate contest returns to the political class, not the sporting one. The Republican primary is set for May 19, 2026, and — absent the “Mouth of the South” — the field must now compete without the built-in spectacle his candidacy would have guaranteed.
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