Mike Florio said Tuesday morning that he would sit out the 2026 midterm elections, calling the decision a “conscious protest” against what he described as a corrupt and broken system.
The elections will decide control of Congress, along with races for governor, state legislatures and local offices. Florio initially said he believed staying home was the most meaningful response. A few hours later, he changed course.
“I’ve decided it’s more important to exercise the right, and to hope that those who are elected will behave differently,” he wrote on X.
Florio’s announcement and reversal drew mocking responses online. OutKick founder Clay Travis joked that he had been waiting to learn whether Florio would vote for progressive candidates again. OutKick editor Joe Kinsey called the decision a brave stance, while Barstool Sports host Kirk Minihane and OutKick contributor Jon Root also made sarcastic remarks.
Florio founded and edits Pro Football Talk and has worked as an NFL analyst for NBC Sports. Alongside football, he has often commented on politics and social issues, and has supported progressive causes, including Colin Kaepernick.
Florio recently suggested the New York Giants consider signing Kaepernick as their starting quarterback, despite Kaepernick last playing in the NFL in 2016. The article also compared Florio’s political profile to that of Jemele Hill, arguing that he occupies a similar place in sports media.
It ended by suggesting Florio’s vote would amount to one more straight-ticket Democratic ballot in West Virginia, adding that Rachel Fetty Anderson would welcome it.
