Paul Finebaum ‘considering’ a run for Alabama seat in Senate

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Longtime media personality Paul Finebaum could potentially leave sports media behind for a world even more cutthroat: politics.

During an interview with Outkick’s Clay Travis, Finebaum said the potential of representing Alabama in the U.S. Senate was “intriguing” and something that he was strongly considering running for.

“One or two people in Washington had reached out to me about whether I would be interested in politics, something I never thought about before. Something I didn’t really think possible,” Finebaum said. “I gave some thought to it as the [after Charlie Kirk’s murder] weekend unfolded and got a little bit more interested.” 

A constant presence in Alabama sports media for decades, from his time as a reporter and columnist for the Birmingham Post-Herald to his own popular radio show, “The Paul Finebaum Radio Network” on WJOX, Finebaum left Alabama for Charlotte, North Carolina in 2013 to take his show to ESPN. Since then, he has been a weekly host of “SEC Nation” during the college football season and also makes regular appearances on ESPN shows like “First Take.”

Finebaum previously re-signed with ESPN last year in a “multi-year” deal keeping him with the network.

With Sen. Tommy Tuberville running for governor, the Alabama Senate campaign has become an anticipated political horse race with people like Attorney General Steve Marshall and and U.S. Rep. Barry Moore throwing their hat into the ring.

At one point, several people suggested that former Auburn men’s basketball coach would take a run at the office after retirement, but has since said he wouldn’t.

“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.”

Finebaum has always had an affinity for politics. In a profile on him published in The New Yorker in 2012, staff writer Reeves Wiedeman characterized the “Mouth of the South” as someone who “preferred MSNBC to ESPN” when it came to TV, as well as grew up in a political family that helped canvas for Democrats in his home state of Tennessee.

“My parents handed out bumper stickers for Al Gore, Sr., when he lost for the Senate,” he said. “Everyone was losing. All I remember is going: Loser, loser, loser.”

Finebaum told Travis that he is a registered Republican in Alabama who voted for President Donald Trump in the last election.

Finebaum said he felt he could be a good Senator for Alabama.

“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,” he said. 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.” 

Earlier this spring, Finebaum and his wife, Dr. Linda Hudson, moved back to Alabama and bought a home in Mountain Brook for over $5 million.

The deadline to qualify for the race is January 23, 2026 while the general election will be held Nov. 3.