{"id":2691651,"date":"2026-10-26T06:30:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T10:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/knowing-my-midwestern-sports-how-politicians-are-using-sports-in-2026-to-build-themselves-up-and-connect-with-voters\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T06:30:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T10:30:02","slug":"knowing-my-midwestern-sports-how-politicians-are-using-sports-in-2026-to-build-themselves-up-and-connect-with-voters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/knowing-my-midwestern-sports-how-politicians-are-using-sports-in-2026-to-build-themselves-up-and-connect-with-voters\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Knowing my Midwestern sports&#8217;: How politicians are using sports in 2026 to build themselves up and connect with voters"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fknowing-my-midwestern-sports-how-politicians-are-using-sports-in-2026-to-build-themselves-up-and-connect-with-voters%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2691651&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\" aria-labelledby=\"wex-article-title\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) stumbled into a sports gaffe, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4746785\/atlanta-hawks-iowa-hawkeyes-eric-schmitt-mix-up-jack-smith-hearing\/\">confusing the Atlanta Hawks<\/a> for the Iowa Hawkeyes during a congressional hearing with former special counsel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jack-smith\/\">Jack Smith<\/a> in September, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2104948829371891731?s=20\">millions<\/a> viewed the moment on social media.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As she pieced together the blunder in real time, Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Amy-Klobuchar\/\">Amy Klobuchar<\/a> (D-MN), who is running for governor in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"443\">Minnesota<\/a>, took the opportunity to flex her Midwestern <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sports\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"8770\">sports<\/a> knowledge.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                     <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4779321\/sanders-michigan-senate-race-trump-accuses-racism-divide-voters\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                         <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                      <\/div>\n<h3>Sanders calls Michigan Senate race a test of Trump, accuses president of using racism to divide voters<\/h3>\n<p>                     <\/a>                 <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                     <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4779311\/trump-people-dont-talk-democrat-strongest-2028-candidate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                         <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                      <\/div>\n<h3>Trump: \u2018People don\u2019t talk\u2019 about Democrats\u2019 strongest 2028 candidate<\/h3>\n<p>                     <\/a>                 <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                     <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4779308\/logic-behind-trump-pretend-im-on-ballot-appeal\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                         <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                      <\/div>\n<h3>The logic behind Trump\u2019s \u2018pretend I\u2019m on the ballot\u2019 appeal<\/h3>\n<p>                     <\/a>                 <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor a U.S. senator to have false information and imply, based on a confusion about the name of a team \u2014 which I knew, knowing my Midwestern sports \u2014 and imply that you were in another city, that you were somehow involved that day in what was happening in Georgia, and then call you a dirtbag is something that deserves an apology,\u201d Klobuchar said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" ><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Klobuchar took to the airwaves afterward, talking about the moment in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Dd6YSLPCbcE\/?hl=en\">appearances<\/a> on MS Now and CNN as she emphasized how her Midwestern sports fandom helped her assess what was happening in the moment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Minnesota senator has been one of many 2026 candidates to lean on their sports knowledge in an effort to build up their own profile, connect to voters in a nonpolitical way, seem authentic to their constituents, and, in some cases, simply tear down their opponents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">American politics professor at the University of Cincinnati David Niven spoke with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> about these types of viral sports-related moments in the 2026 elections, and the impact they can have for certain candidates.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" ><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey\u2019re moments when political folk can demonstrate that they\u2019re real people, which then makes them important. The converse of that being, when they\u2019re so out of their element, they underscore how much they\u2019re not real and relatable,\u201d Niven said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Niven, who received his PhD from Ohio State University, pointed to another viral moment from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Ohio\/\">Ohio<\/a> gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as an instance of the latter. Ramaswamy wore what appeared to be a knock-off Ohio State jersey to the school\u2019s home opener in August and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-independent.com\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-jersey-fake-b3045584.html\">took heat<\/a> from Buckeyes fans <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/VivekGRamaswamy\/status\/2096298483519254932?s=20\">in his X comments<\/a>. Niven called it a moment that \u201cgives the game away that this is not your natural habitat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt works when it\u2019s real, and it can look really, really, really awkward when it\u2019s imaginary and forced,\u201d Niven said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" ><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2026, several candidates in tight races have leaned into running sports-related advertisements to try and boost their bona fides in nonpolitical ways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Susan-Collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) ran an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PatrickSvitek\/status\/2105257977267818539?s=20\">advertisement<\/a> ahead of the Boston Red Sox\u2019s postgame series against the New York Yankees, slamming Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Chuck-Schumer\/\">Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-NY) for spending big against her Senate reelection campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Mike-Rogers\/\">Mike Rogers<\/a> (R-MI), Michigan\u2019s Republican Senate candidate, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MikeRogersForMI\/videos\/football-isnt-racist-and-men-dont-belong-in-womens-sports-thats-not-the-michigan\/1566884058450788\/\">ran an ad<\/a> featuring him on a football field in his heated race against Democrat <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Abdul-el-Sayed\/\">Abdul el Sayed<\/a>. As he walked up and down the field tossing a football between his hands, Rogers mocked an old comment from el Sayed calling football a sport of \u201ctoxic masculinity.\u201d Rogers said, \u201cThat\u2019s just not who we are in Michigan.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" ><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Niven noted that although there\u2019s no concrete evidence for sports-related outreach driving new voters to the polls, the politicians themselves \u201cbelieve it matters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey believe it humanizes them, especially folks who might otherwise come off as living in a rarefied world. It conveys a certain capacity to connect with people and get your hands dirty,\u201d Niven said<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve seen people who superficially seem about the least sports-oriented that you could imagine\u2013 like Chuck Schumer would run ads with him in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/spectrumlocalnews.com\/nys\/buffalo\/politics\/2016\/10\/4\/jim-kelly-chuck-schumer-campaign-ad-wendy-long\">context of the [Buffalo] Bills<\/a>, with Bills players in the ads. Again, they believe it works,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In both Michigan and Ohio, college and professional football have been a subplot of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/ratings\/senate-race-ratings\">toss-up<\/a> Senate races in each state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with Rogers\u2019s football ad, el Sayed has also flexed his college football knowledge as a University of Michigan alum throughout their race, often referencing Michigan and Ohio State\u2019s rivalry while poking fun at Vice President JD Vance, who went to Ohio State.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One particular moment that caught a lot of attention was when el Sayed said he couldn\u2019t wait to \u201cbeat Ohio\u201d this football season, as he needled Vance for coming to the Wolverine State. Several football fans outside of the Midwest <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/tedcruz\/status\/2093528958235017388?s=20\">made fun of<\/a> el Sayed, calling it a gaffe, but Niven and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2026\/09\/06\/beat-ohio-state-university-abdul-el-sayed-rod-blagojevich-ted-cruz-university-of-michigan\/91608744007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=true&#038;gca-epti=z11xx26p119450l002350c119450e111575v11xx26d--64--b--64--&#038;gca-ft=210&#038;gca-ds=sophi\">Midwesterners<\/a> said it was pointed, as Michigan fans call Ohio State \u201cOhio\u201d and Ohio State fans call Michigan \u201cthat team up north.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe pundits who have a horse in the race jumped on it and said, \u2018Look, this guy doesn\u2019t even know that Michigan\u2019s rival is Ohio State.\u2019 And, in point of fact, it\u2019s exactly the opposite \u2014 that, for decades, to needle Ohio State, Michigan football people have referred to Ohio State as Ohio,\u201d Niven said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The moment caught millions of views, with Niven saying it underscored the theme of \u201cif this is your world, then you know the language.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While el Sayed and Vance have traded barbs over college football, Vance and President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump <\/a>have been pulling out the sports references while campaigning for incumbent Sen.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jon-husted\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"21320\"> Jon Husted<\/a> (R-OH) in his race against Democratic former Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sherrod-brown\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2353\">Sherrod Brown<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump first <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4753240\/jon-gruden-ohio-republicans-trump-rally\/?srsltid=AYCX9vKDsGN93JIeBYtBNsAY__tnQ71w5k1sEUMunecK3iNH1vcJRIQY\">held a rally<\/a> in Dayton, Ohio, with former <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nfl\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"59\">NFL<\/a> coach Jon Gruden, who mentioned at the rally that he played football with Husted and was there to support his former teammate. Husted played college football as a cornerback for the University of Dayton. In subsequent rallies afterward, Trump has fixated on hyping up Husted\u2019s physical stature, calling him a \u201cgreat athlete\u201d and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/live-blog\/2026-midterm-elections-live-updates\/?highlight=4773671\">saying<\/a> his backside is a \u201cpile of muscle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI started examining his body, because I didn\u2019t know he was a great athlete. And I looked, and I watched up and down. I looked at his ass, and I looked at the whole, and then I looked at his hands. Look at his hands \u2014 he\u2019s got these like claws. And I got it, you are a great athlete,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vance, who is likely to run for president in 2028, has also been leaning into his sports fandom ahead of the midterm elections while stumping for Husted in his home state. In addition to portraying his fandom online <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4761525\/jd-vance-social-media-break-lent\/?srsltid=AYCX9vJjSIB0nVv60g7ZT4P1qBF9F0fycvmMProSs8fYVbDrCez-Gqmo\">through social media posts<\/a>, Vance has also visited a Cincinnati Bengals practice with his son, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JDVance\/status\/2054227654883090757?s=20\">introduced<\/a> his children to legendary Indiana Hoosiers football coach Curt Cignetti, and celebrated the Buckeyes 2024 national championship win with the team at the White House in 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Director of the University of Maryland\u2019s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement Michael Hamner spoke to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> about what these moments mean and how they can be more than just a viral moment clipped on social media. He also spoke to Trump attending multiple sports games and college football games in the lead-up to the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere do you go? Well, where the action is. And it has this other benefit of maybe the people that like you feel a deeper connection, and maybe the people that at least don\u2019t hate you, see another side to you and find some way to relate,\u201d Hamner said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4768004\/trump-athletes-low-propensity-male-voters-gop\/\"><strong>TRUMP TAPS ATHLETES TO HELP TURN OUT LOW-PROPENSITY MALE VOTERS FOR GOP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamner emphasized that sports appearances and appeals from politicians have the capacity to move certain voters \u201cin small ways\u201d and are helpful in creating certain spaces of broader support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMost people are not running around thinking about politics all day, every day. So, when you have these moments that break into other parts of your life\u2013 because it\u2019s sports or something related to your workplace \u2013 those get, I think, your attention much more strongly,\u201d Hamner said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) stumbled into a sports gaffe, confusing the Atlanta Hawks for the Iowa Hawkeyes during a congressional hearing with former special counsel Jack Smith in September, millions viewed the moment on social media. As she pieced together the blunder in real time, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who is running for governor<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2691652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AP26269649856591.jpg?w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2691651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AP26269649856591.jpg?w=1024","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2691651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2691651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2691651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2691652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2691651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2691651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2691651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}