Nick Wright brutally calls out Stephen A. Smith over political content.

Stephen A. Smith is one of the most recognizable voices in American sports media.

He built his career on hot takes about the NBA, the NFL, and everything in between.

But this week, Smith stepped fully into a different arena.

He hosted a midterms special of his SiriusXM show Straight Shooter with Stephen A. from a studio in Washington, D.C.

The guest list included Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Also appearing: former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Representative Glenn Ivey, CBS News’ Robert Costa, political pollster Frank Luntz, and MeidasTouch’s Scott MacFarlane.

The show aired live on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. ET on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel (Ch. 124).

Smith interviewed DeSantis on Monday, November 3.

During that conversation, DeSantis talked about the race to find his successor between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly.

DeSantis said: “I will tell you, even with the momentum that they claim the democrats have had, we still have a million super voters that are going to vote on Tuesday for sure. Probably more. So the republican candidates have the advantage, but it’s just a different atmospheric.”

He added: “Four years ago, Biden was president, the dems were demoralized because he wasn’t doing a good job, they knew that. And then they knew they couldn’t beat me. So we had this massive election day performance won by a million and a half votes. The atmospheric are different now, democrats are energized, our voters are not as energized. Largely because of some of the stuff that’s been happening nationally and at the gas pump.”

That interview was part of a broader midterms week programming push by Smith.

And that push drew sharp criticism from fellow sports media personality Nick Wright.

Wright, who co-hosts First Things First on FS1, did not hold back.

He said that “absolutely no one” asked for Stephen A. Smith to pivot to political content.

The remark was pointed and direct.

Wright’s criticism taps into a larger debate within sports media.

Some fans and commentators argue that sports personalities should stick to sports.

Others see the move as a natural expansion of Smith’s brand.

Smith himself has never shied away from political topics.

He has previously criticized Donald Trump, calling the former president’s post-2020 actions a “vengeance tour.”

He has also weighed in on NFL controversies, NBA rule changes, and the performance of team owners like the Colts’ Carlie Irsay-Gordon.

But the midterms special marks a more formal entry into political programming.

Straight Shooter with Stephen A. airs weekly on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. ET on POTUS.

The show typically features guests from politics, entertainment, and business.

Smith also takes live calls from listeners across the country.

The format allows him to offer his trademark no-nonsense commentary on the day’s biggest headlines.

This week’s special expanded that format into a multi-day event.

It is unclear whether Smith plans to continue this political focus beyond the midterms.

Neither Smith nor SiriusXM have announced any permanent shift in the show’s format.

Wright’s comments, however, suggest that the move has not been universally welcomed.

The sports media landscape has become increasingly polarized in recent years.

Some personalities, like Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless, have occasionally touched on political topics.

But few have devoted an entire week to election coverage.